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warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Vancomycin hydrochloride must be given orally for treatment of C. difficile -associated diarrhea and staphylococcal enterocolitis. Orally administered vancomycin hydrochloride is not effective for treatment of other types of infections. ( 5.1 ) Clinically significant serum concentrations have been reported in some patients who have taken multiple oral doses of vancomycin hydrochloride for C. difficile -associated diarrhea. Monitoring of serum concentrations may be appropriate in some instances. ( 5.2 ) Nephrotoxicity has occurred following oral vancomycin hydrochloride therapy and can occur either during or after completion of therapy. The risk is increased in geriatric patients. Monitor renal function. ( 5.3 ) Ototoxicity has occurred in patients receiving vancomycin hydrochloride. Assessment of auditory function may be appropriate in some instances. ( 5.4 ) Severe Dermatologic Reactions: Discontinue vancomycin hydrochloride at the first appearance of skin rashes, mucosal lesions, or blisters. ( 5.5 ) Prescribing vancomycin hydrochloride in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria. ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Oral Use Only Vancomycin hydrochloride must be given orally for treatment of C. difficile- associated diarrhea and staphylococcal enterocolitis. Orally administered vancomycin is not effective for treatment of other types of infections. Parenteral administration of vancomycin is not effective for treatment of C. difficile -associated diarrhea and staphylococcal enterocolitis. If parenteral vancomycin therapy is desired, use an intravenous preparation of vancomycin and consult the Full Prescribing Information accompanying that preparation. 5.2 Potential for Systemic Absorption Significant systemic absorption has been reported in some patients (e.g., patients with renal insufficiency and/or colitis) who have taken multiple oral doses of vancomycin hydrochloride for C. difficile -associated diarrhea. In these patients, serum vancomycin concentrations reached therapeutic levels for the treatment of systemic infections. Some patients with inflammatory disorders of the intestinal mucosa also may have significant systemic absorption of vancomycin. These patients may be at risk for the development of adverse reactions associated with higher doses of vancomycin hydrochloride; therefore, monitoring of serum concentrations of vancomycin may be appropriate in some instances, e.g., in patients with renal insufficiency and/or colitis or in those receiving concomitant therapy with an aminoglycoside antibacterial drug. 5.3 Nephrotoxicity Nephrotoxicity (e.g., reports of renal failure, renal impairment, blood creatinine increased) has occurred following oral vancomycin hydrochloride therapy in randomized controlled clinical trials and can occur either during or after completion of therapy. The risk of nephrotoxicity is increased in patients over 65 years of age [ see Adverse Reactions (6.1) and Use in Specific Populations (8.5) ]. In patients over 65 years of age, including those with normal renal function prior to treatment, renal function should be monitored during and following treatment with vancomycin hydrochloride to detect potential vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity. 5.4 Ototoxicity Ototoxicity has occurred in patients receiving vancomycin. It may be transient or permanent. It has been reported mostly in patients who have been given high intravenous doses, who have an underlying hearing loss, or who are receiving concomitant therapy with another ototoxic agent, such as an aminoglycoside. Serial tests of auditory function may be helpful in order to minimize the risk of ototoxicity [ see Adverse Reactions (6.2) ]. 5.5 Severe Dermatologic Reactions Severe dermatologic reactions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), and linear lgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) have been reported in association with the use of vancomycin. Cutaneous signs or symptoms reported include skin rashes, mucosal lesions, and blisters. Discontinue vancomycin hydrochloride at the first appearance of signs and symptoms of TEN, SJS, DRESS, AGEP, or LABD. 5.6 Potential for Microbial Overgrowth Use of vancomycin hydrochloride may result in the overgrowth of non-susceptible bacteria. If superinfection occurs during therapy, appropriate measures should be taken. 5.7 Development of Drug-Resistant Bacteria Prescribing vancomycin hydrochloride in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria. 5.8 Hemorrhagic Occlusive Retinal Vasculitis (HORV) Hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis, including permanent loss of vision, occurred in patients receiving intracameral or intravitreal administration of vancomycin during or after cataract surgery. The safety and efficacy of vancomycin administered by the intracameral or intravitreal route have not been established by adequate and well-controlled studies. Vancomycin is not indicated for prophylaxis of endophthalmitis.
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions (≥ 10%) were nausea (17%), abdominal pain (15%), and hypokalemia (13%). ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. at 1-866-850-2876 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The data described below reflect exposure to vancomycin hydrochloride in 260 adult subjects in two Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of C. difficile -associated diarrhea. In both trials, subjects received vancomycin hydrochloride 125 mg orally four times daily. The mean duration of treatment was 9.4 days. The median age of patients was 67, ranging between 19 and 96 years of age. Patients were predominantly Caucasian (93%), and 52% were male. Adverse reactions occurring in ≥ 5% of vancomycin hydrochloride-treated subjects are shown in Table 2. The most common adverse reactions associated with vancomycin hydrochloride (≥ 10%) were nausea, abdominal pain, and hypokalemia. Table 2: Common (≥ 5%) Adverse Reactions * for Vancomycin Hydrochloride Reported in Clinical Trials for Treatment of C. difficile -Associated Diarrhea System/Organ Class Adverse Reaction Vancomycin Hydrochloride (%) (N=260) Gastrointestinal disorders Nausea 17 Abdominal pain 15 Vomiting 9 Diarrhea 9 Flatulence 8 General disorders and administration site conditions Pyrexia 9 Edema peripheral 6 Fatigue 5 Infections and infestations Urinary tract infection 8 Metabolism and nutrition disorders Hypokalemia 13 Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders Back pain 6 Nervous system disorders Headache 7 * Adverse reaction rates were derived from the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events. Nephrotoxicity (e.g., reports of renal failure, renal impairment, blood creatinine increased) occurred in 5% of subjects treated with vancomycin hydrochloride. Nephrotoxicity following vancomycin hydrochloride typically first occurred within one week after completion of treatment (median day of onset was Day 16). Nephrotoxicity following vancomycin hydrochloride occurred in 6% of subjects over 65 years of age and 3% of subjects 65 years of age and younger [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ]. Nephrotoxicity can also occur during oral vancomycin administration. The incidences of hypokalemia, urinary tract infection, peripheral edema, insomnia, constipation, anemia, depression, vomiting, and hypotension were higher among subjects over 65 years of age than in subjects 65 years of age and younger [ see Use in Specific Populations (8.5) ]. Discontinuation of study drug due to adverse events occurred in 7% of subjects treated with vancomycin hydrochloride. The most common adverse events leading to discontinuation of vancomycin hydrochloride were C. difficile colitis (< 1%), nausea (< 1%), and vomiting (< 1%). 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of vancomycin hydrochloride. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Ototoxicity : Cases of hearing loss associated with intravenously administered vancomycin have been reported. Most of these patients had kidney dysfunction or a preexisting hearing loss or were receiving concomitant treatment with an ototoxic drug [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ]. Vertigo, dizziness, and tinnitus have been reported. Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: Severe dermatologic reactions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), and linear lgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] , rashes (including exfoliative dermatitis). Hematopoietic : Reversible neutropenia, usually starting 1 week or more after onset of intravenous therapy with vancomycin or after a total dose of more than 25 g, has been reported. Neutropenia appears to be promptly reversible when vancomycin is discontinued. Thrombocytopenia has been reported. Miscellaneous : Anaphylaxis, drug fever, chills, nausea, eosinophilia, and vasculitis have been reported with the administration of vancomycin. A condition has been reported with oral vancomycin that is similar to the IV–induced syndrome with symptoms consistent with anaphylactoid reactions, including hypotension, wheezing, dyspnea, urticaria, pruritus, flushing of the upper body (“Red Man Syndrome”), pain and muscle spasm of the chest and back. These reactions usually resolve within 20 minutes but may persist for several hours.