Vancomycin
Trade names: vancocin
Class: antibiotic, miscellaneous
Pregnancy:
(Category B)
Action:
It
is derived from streptomyces orientalis, it appears to bind to bacterial cell
wall, arresting it’s synthesis and lysing the cytoplasmic membrane by a
mechanism that is different from that of penicillin. It is bactericidal for
most organisms and bactereostatic for enterococci.
Uses:
§ drug should be reserved for treatment of life threatening
infections when other treatment have been ineffective .
§ Patients with sever staphylococcal infections resistant or
allergic to penicillin or cephalosporin such as:
§ * Endocarditis
* Osteomylitis
§ * Pneumonia * Septicemia § Oral administration is useful in treatment of:
§ Enterocolitis
*Pseudomemgranous Colitis
Dose:
§ by mouth, antibiotic-associated colitis, 125 mg every 6 hours
for 7–10 days, see notes above; CHILD 5 mg/kg every 6 hours, over 5 years, half
adult dose
§ By intravenous infusion, 500 mg every 6 hours or 1 g every 12
hours; ELDERLY over 65 years, 500 mg every 12 hours or 1 g once daily; NEONATE
up to 1 week, 15 mg/kg initially then 10 mg/kg every 12 hours; INFANT 1–4
weeks, 15 mg/kg initially then 10 mg/kg every 8 hours; CHILD over 1 month, 10
mg/kg every 6 hours
* Hypersensitivity Side effects:
|
* Minor infectious.
|
§
Ototoxicity
|
deafness
|
Contraindications:
§ Nephrotoxicity uremia
§ Red-Neck syndrome: “chills, errythema of neck and back fever”.
§ Skin rashes, Drug fever
§ Hypotension (due to rapid administration) .
§ Thrombophlebitis at the site of injection.
Nursing
considerations:
§ Mix as indicated on package insert.
§ Intermittent infusion is the preferred route.
§ Avoid rapid I.V. administration nausea
& hypotension.
§ Avoid extravasations during injections .
§ Monitor
vital signs, intake of output.
