title: Vancomycin.
abstract: Vancomycin is a nontoxic glycopeptide antibiotic most often used to treat serious gram-positive infections, C. difficile diarrhea/colitis, and endocarditis and hemodialysis shunt prophylaxis. Vancomycin should not be added to drug regimens for gram-positive coverage, and the empiric use of vancomycin should be discouraged to avoid the emergence of VRE. Vancomycin serum levels are no longer necessary or cost effective in most patients because vancomycin is not nephrotoxic.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, New York, USA.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Cunha
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014640:Vancomycin