Amikacin is a medicine used to treat various bacterial infections. When we talk about this kind of pathology we mean from meningitis to joint problems. Next, in detail, we will tell you what Amikacin is for .
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What is Amikacin for?
Amikacin is an antibiotic from the group of aminoglycosics (antibiotics that stop growth and kill bacteria), used precisely for the treatment of different bacterial pathologies (a derivative of Kanamycin). That includes joint infections, intra-abdominal infections, meningitis (inflammation of the meninges), pneumonia, sepsis, etc. It can also be used, with great care, both in tuberculosis, as well as infections in the blood and lungs.
How does it work? Amikacin, to be clear, adheres irreversibly to bacteria, preventing their protein synthesis and avoiding those enzymes that can fight precisely against the drug that is a bactericide. From 24 to 48 hours is the time that bacteria can withstand, usually its action.
It should be known that Amikacin is a purely chemical component that is indicated for regular short-term treatments of bacterial infections, simple or mixed, that have been caused by sensitive strains of microorganisms, such as septicemia or neonatal sepsis. .
How is Amikacin used?
This medication is available in two injectable forms: intravenous and intramuscular. Naturally its use will depend on the severity of the situation of the receptos, in addition to the multiple factors that can intervene and that the specialist doctor will surely take into account.
It must be taken into account that the dose for patients will always be determined by a doctor, who will take into account the patient’s condition, sex, weight, age, other past or present pathologies, etc. Therefore, what you will glimpse below is only a generalized dosage, which must be absolutely compared later with what the specialist says in a specific case.
Adults and adolescents: intramuscular or intravenous injection of five mg per kg of body weight, every eight hours. It can also be 7.5 mg per kg of body weight every twelve hours, for approximately seven to ten days.
In case of homodialysis: a supplementary dose of three to five mg of Amikacin per body weight.
Pediatric dose: for premature neonates, start with 10 mg per kg of body weight and then 7.5 mg per kg of weight, with intervals of 18 to 24 hours for 7 to 10 days. The case of neonates, doses equal to the previous ones, but every 12 hours for at least 7 to 10 days.
On the other hand, it must be said that there are some precautions and warnings to be taken into account if Amikacin is consumed:
- The use of this medicine may have interactions with other medicines. However, it is important to inform the doctor which ones are consumed, what diseases have been had in the past, if dietary supplements, medicinal herbs, etc. are also ingested.
- Intravenous infusion in adults can be administered over a period of 30 to 60 minutes.
- Patients over 65 can be treated with the normal doses of the drug, unless they have decreased kidney function. If so, the dose must be adjusted by a specialist.
- If you are under treatment with this drug, kidney function must be properly checked.
- Amikacin treatments do not exceed 7 to 10 days.
- The treatments with this antibiotic are not suspended before the periods stipulated by the doctors.
- It is important to tell your doctor before taking this medicine if you have suffered from cystic fibrosis, Parkinson’s disease, or myasthenia gravis.
Does Amikacin have side effects?
Amikacin is a great drug, as we said earlier, to fight some bacterial diseases. However, certain side effects may occur in some patients, which should be reported to specialists immediately. We list some of them below.
- Sickness.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache.
- Fever.
- Rash.
- Blistering or peeling skin.
- Itch.
- Urticaria.
- Swelling of the eyes, face, throat, tongue, or lips.
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing.
- Ronquera.
- Severe diarrhea that can occur with or without fever.
- Stomach cramps (can last for several months after starting treatment).
Dr. Samantha Robson ( CRN: 0510146-5) is a nutritionist and website content reviewer related to her area of expertise. With a postgraduate degree in Nutrition from The University of Arizona, she is a specialist in Sports Nutrition from Oxford University and is also a member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.