Vancomycin is an injectable antibiotic used in the hospital to treat serious infections by some types of bacteria, especially in the bones, lungs, skin, muscles and heart. This way, this medicine can be indicated by your doctor to treat various health problems, such as endocarditis, pneumonia or osteomyelitis.
Vancomycin may also be known as Celovan, Novamicin, Vancotrat, Vancocid or Vancosan, for example, and is only sold as powder to make injectable solutions.
Price
Vancomycin is a type of antibiotic used only in the hospital and therefore can not be bought in conventional pharmacies.
How to use
Vancomycin should only be administered in the hospital by a health care provider, as advised by the treating physician.
In most cases, the recommended dose is:
- Adults and children over 12 years of age: 500 mg of Vancomycin every 6 hours or 1g every 12 hours.
- Children 1 month to 12 years of age: 10 mg Vancomycin per kg body weight every 6 hours or 20 mg per kg body weight every 12 hours.
This medicine should be given as an infusion injection lasting approximately 60 minutes to avoid red man syndrome. Learn more about this complication.
Possible side effects
The most common side effects include decreased blood pressure, shortness of breath, redness at the injection site, allergic skin reaction, redness of the body and face pain, temporary hearing loss, tinnitus, nausea, muscle pain and fever.
Pain and inflammation in the vein; skin rashes; chills; fever. When the medicine is infused for less than 1 hour, red man syndrome can occur, a serious change that can be life threatening. Check the signs and symptoms and how the syndrome is treated by clicking here.
Who should not use
Vancomycin is contraindicated for people who are allergic to the drug and should be used only with medical advice on pregnant women, breast-feeding women, patients over 60 years of age, or people with kidney or hearing problems.
