Vancogen

Description

Do NOT take Vancogen if you have:

• Hypersensitivity (allergy) to vancomycin.
• A history of impaired hearing.
• It is NOT for intramuscular (IM) administration.

Precautions:

• Allergic reaction to teicoplanin: Use with caution if you’ve had an allergic reaction to teicoplanin.
• Previous hearing loss: Use with caution.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Renal impairment: Use with caution and adjust dose as necessary.
• Elderly: Dosage adjustment needed.
• Pregnancy and Lactation: Not recommended during pregnancy. The drug enters breast milk, so it’s not recommended for breastfeeding mothers.
• Monitoring Parameters: Regularly monitor auditory function (hearing) tests and serum or blood vancomycin concentrations during treatment. Periodic urinalysis and renal function tests are also necessary. Monitor leukocyte (white blood cell) count during prolonged therapy.

Drug Interactions:

Always inform your doctor about all medications you are taking, especially:

• General anesthetics: May enhance the adverse effects of vancomycin.
• Aminoglycosides, Polymyxins, Ciclosporin, Cisplatin, and Loop Diuretics: Increased risk of ototoxicity (hearing damage) and nephrotoxicity (kidney damage).
• Suxamethonium or Vecuronium: Increased potential for neuromuscular blockade.

Possible Side Effects

Vancomycin can cause various side effects. While not everyone experiences them, some possible effects include:

• Very Common (>10%):
  • Erythematous rash on face and upper body (known as “red neck” or “red man syndrome,” often related to infusion rate).
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure) accompanied by flushing.
• Common (1-10%): Chills, drug fever, eosinophilia, rash, reversible neutropenia, phlebitis (vein inflammation).
• Less Common (<1%): Nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity (especially with large doses), Stevens-Johnson syndrome, thrombocytopenia (low platelets), vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels).
• Potentially Fatal: Stevens-Johnson syndrome; toxic epidermal necrolysis, blood dyscrasias such as neutropenia or thrombocytopenia.

How does Vancogen work?

Vancomycin is an antibiotic that works by binding tightly to the D-alanyl-D-alanine portion of the bacterial cell wall precursor. This binding blocks glycopeptide polymerization, which immediately inhibits cell wall synthesis and causes secondary damage to the cytoplasmic membrane. This mechanism of action effectively kills susceptible bacteria.