Patient was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Vancomycin as follows:
- Observe compliance with the Vancomycin trough lab ordered, once a week, which helps to determine the dose and the appropriate timing between individual doses of the antibiotic. This helps to assure that the therapeutic concentration of the antibiotic is always maintained in the blood.
- Watch closely for development of any opportunistic infections, such as, oral candidiasis with white patches in the mouth, to be reported to the physician.
- Check with your doctor regarding safety upon receiving any live vaccinations, as Vancomycin by eliminating natural bacterial flora, could lower the body’s resistance. Live vaccinations could turn virulent in such individuals, precipitating new infections.
- Vancomycin is not metabolized and is excreted unchanged in the urine. Individuals with compromised renal functions tend to retain the drug in the circulation longer, thus resulting in toxicity. Vancomycin should be avoided or used with extreme caution in such individuals.
