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Vancomycin
Pronounced van-ko-MY-sin
Brand names: Vancocin
Type: Glycopeptide antibiotic · All Antibiotics & Infection Medicines
What Vancomycin is used for
- Serious MRSA infections (by vein, in hospital)
- C. difficile infection of the gut (by mouth)
- Infections in people with serious penicillin allergy
◆ Kidney note
A leading antibiotic cause of kidney injury in hospital; levels are checked regularly and dosing is often timed around dialysis.
Common side effects
- Flushing and itching of the face and neck during infusion (red man syndrome)
- Nausea
- Low blood pressure during infusion
Important cautions
- Can injure the kidneys and, less often, hearing — blood levels and kidney function are monitored closely
- Rapid infusion worsens flushing — it is given slowly
How it comes
Injection (hospital), capsules, liquid. This guide lists forms only — it never lists strengths or doses.
Toxicity lists: Vancomycin also appears on Medicines That Can Harm the Kidneys.
Related medicines — Antibiotics & Infection Medicines
Please note: This page is a patient-education summary, not medical advice, and it deliberately contains no doses. Medicines affect everyone differently — always follow your own prescription and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.