Vancomycin Side Effects
Brand Names: Vancocin
Please note - some side effects for Vancomycin may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).
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For the consumer For the professional
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Side Effects of Vancomycin - for the consumer
Vancomycin
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. When used in small doses, no COMMON side effects have been reported with Vancomycin. Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Vancomycin:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody stools; chest pain; decrease in the frequency of urination or in the amount of urine; fever, chills, or sore throat; flushing; irritation, pain, or swelling at the injection site; numbness of an arm or leg; red, swollen, or blistered skin; ringing in the ears or sudden loss of hearing; severe diarrhea; severe stomach pain; sudden leg pain; sudden severe dizziness, nausea, headache, or vomiting; sudden shortness of breath; unusual bruising or bleeding; wheezing.
Vancomycin Capsules
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. When used in small doses, no COMMON side effects have been reported with Vancomycin Capsules. Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Vancomycin Capsules:
TopSevere allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chest pain; decreased urination; fever, chills, or sore throat; flushing; red, swollen, or blistered skin; ringing in the ears or hearing loss; unusual bruising or bleeding; wheezing.
For the professional
Vancomycin
Infusion-Related Events: During or soon after rapid infusion of Vancomycin hydrochloride, patients may develop anaphylactoid reactions, including hypotension, wheezing, dyspnea, urticaria, or pruritus. Rapid infusion may also cause flushing of the upper body (“Red Man Syndrome”) or pain and muscle spasm of the chest and back. These reactions usually resolve within 20 minutes but may persist for several hours. Such events are infrequent if Vancomycin hydrochloride is given by a slow infusion over 60 minutes. In studies of normal volunteers, infusion-related events did not occur when Vancomycin HCl was administered at a rate of 10 mg/min or less.
Nephrotoxicity: Rarely, renal failure, principally manifested by increased serum creatinine or BUN concentrations, especially in patients given large doses of Vancomycin, has been reported. Rare cases of interstitial nephritis have been reported. Most of these have occurred in patients who were given aminoglycosides concomitantly or who had preexisting kidney dysfunction. When Vancomycin hydrochloride was discontinued, azotemia resolved in most patients.
Ototoxicity: A few dozen cases of hearing loss associated with Vancomycin hydrochloride have been reported. Most of these patients had kidney dysfunction or a preexisting hearing loss, or were receiving concomitant treatment with an ototoxic drug. Vertigo, dizziness, and tinnitus have been reported rarely.
Hematopoietic: Reversible neutropenia, usually starting one week or more after onset of therapy with Vancomycin hydrochloride or after a total dosage of more than 25 g, has been reported for several dozen patients. Neutropenia appears to be promptly reversible when Vancomycin hydrochloride is discontinued. Thrombocytopenia has rarely been reported.
Although a causal relationship has not been established, reversible agranulocytosis (granulocytes < 500/mm3) has been reported rarely.
Phlebitis: Inflammation at the injection site has been reported.
Gastrointestinal: Onset of pseudomembranous colitis symptoms may occur during or after antibiotic treatment.
Miscellaneous: Infrequently, patients have been reported to have had anaphylaxis, drug fever, nausea, chills, eosinophilia, rashes (including exfoliative dermatitis), linear IgA bullous dermatosis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and rare cases of vasculitis in association with the administration of Vancomycin.
Chemical peritonitis has been reported following intraperitoneal administration of Vancomycin.
TopMore resources:
Vancomycin - Includes detailed dosage instructions.
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