Patient Leaflet Updated 23-Jul-2026 | Bowmed Ibisqus Limited
Vancomycin Powder for Concentrate for solution for infusion
Vancomycin 500 mg, Powder for concentrate for solution for infusion
Vancomycin 1000 mg, Powder for concentrate for solution for infusion
Vancomycin hydrochloride
1. What Vancomycin is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you use Vancomycin
3. How to use Vancomycin
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Vancomycin
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Vancomycin is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of antibiotics called “glycopeptides”. Vancomycin works by eliminating certain bacteria that cause infections.
Vancomycin powder is made into a solution for infusion or an oral solution.
Vancomycin is used in all age groups by infusion for the treatment of the following serious infections:
Vancomycin can be given orally in adults and children for the treatment of infection of the mucosa of the small and the large intestines with damage to the mucosae (pseudomembranous colitis), caused by the Clostridium difficile bacterium.
Talk to your doctor, hospital pharmacist or nurse before using Vancomycin if:
Talk to your doctor or hospital pharmacist or nurse during treatment with Vancomycin if:
Serious skin reactions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) have been reported in association with vancomycin treatment. Stop using vancomycin and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the symptoms described in section 4.
Signs of an allergic reaction to this medicine, including breathing problems and chest pain, have been reported with Vancomycin. Stop immediately Vancomycin and contact immediately your doctor or medical emergencies if you notice any of these signs.
Serious side effects that may lead to loss of vision have been reported following the injection of vancomycin in the eyes.
Vancomycin will be used with particular care in premature infants and young infants, because their kidneys are not fully developed and they may accumulate vancomycin in the blood. This age group may need blood tests for controlling vancomycin levels in blood.
Concomitant administration of vancomycin and anaesthetic agents has been associated with skin redness (erythema) and allergic reactions in children. Similarly, concomitant use with other medicines such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs, e.g., ibuprofen) or amphotericin B (medicine for fungal infection) can increase the risk of kidney damage and therefore more frequent blood and renal tests may be necessary.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines. Moreover, do not take any new medicine without consulting your doctor.
The following medicines may react with vancomycin if you take them at the same time, such as medicines for the treatment of:
and
Your doctor may need to test your blood and adjust the dosage if vancomycin is given simultaneously with other medicines.
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or plan to become pregnant, tell your doctor before taking this medicine. Vancomycin should be given during pregnancy and breast-feeding only if clearly needed. Your doctor will decide if you should take Vancomycin.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding, since Vancomycin passes into breast milk. Your doctor will decide whether vancomycin is really necessary or whether you should stop breastfeeding.
Vancomycin has no or negligible effect on the ability to drive and use machines.
You will be given Vancomycin by medical staff while you are in hospital. Your doctor will decide how much of this medicine you should receive each day and how long the treatment will last.
The dose given to you will depend on:
Adults and adolescents (from 12 years and older)
The dosage will be calculated according to your body weight. The usual infusion dose is 15 to 20 mg for each kg of body weight. It is usually given every 8 to 12 hours. In some cases, your doctor may decide to give an initial dose of up to 30 mg for each kg of body weight. The maximum dose should not exceed 2 g per dose.
Use in children
Children aged from one month to less than 12 years of age
The dosage will be calculated according to your body weight. The usual infusion dose is 10 to 15 mg for each kg of body weight. It is usually given every 6 hours.
Preterm and term newborn infants (from 0 to 27 days)
The dosage will be calculated according to post-menstrual age (time elapsed between the first day of the last menstrual period and birth (gestational age) plus the time elapsed after birth (post-natal age).
The elderly, pregnant women and patients with a kidney disorder, including those on dialysis, may need a different dose.
Adults and adolescents (from 12 to 18 years)
The recommended dose is 125 mg every 6 hours. In some cases, your doctor may decide to give a higher daily dose of up to 500 mg every 6 hours. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 2 g.
If you suffered other episodes (infection of the mucosa) before, you may need a different dose and different duration of therapy.
Neonates, infants and children less than 12 years old
The recommended dose is 10 mg for each kg of body weight. It is usually given every 6 hours.
The maximum daily dose should not exceed 2 g.
Intravenous infusion means that the medicine flows from an infusion bottle or bag through a tube to one of your blood vessels and into your body. Your doctor, or nurse, will always give vancomycin into your blood and not in the muscle.
Vancomycin will be given into your vein for at least 60 minutes.
If given for treatment of gastric disorders (so called Pseudomembranous colitis), the medicine must be administrated as a solution for oral use (you will take the medicine by mouth).
The length of treatment depends on the infection you have and may last a number of weeks. The duration of therapy may be different depending on the individual response to treatment for every patient.
During the treatment, you might have blood tests, be asked to provide urine samples and possibly have hearing tests to look for signs of possible side effects.
As this product will be given to you while you are in the hospital, it is unlikely that you will be given too much. However, tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you have any concerns.
If you have further questions about using this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Vancomycin can cause allergic reactions, although serious allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock) are rare. Tell your doctor immediately if you get any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, redness on the upper part of the body, rash or itching.
Stop using vancomycin and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms:
The absorption of vancomycin from the gastrointestinal tract is negligible. However, if you have an inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract, especially if you also have a kidney disorder, side effects that occur when vancomycin is administered by infusion may appear.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
Very rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people):
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, hospital pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via:
UK: the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Ireland:
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Before reconstitution: Store below 25ºC.
Keep the vial in the outer carton in order to protect from light
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date printed on the label and carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not use this medicine if you notice that the solution is cloudy or there are particles in suspension.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.
The active substance is vancomycin (as hydrochloride).
Vancomycin 500 mg: Each vial contains 500 mg of vancomycin hydrochloride equivalent to 500,000 IU vancomycin.
Vancomycin 1000 mg: Each vial contains 1000 mg of vancomycin hydrochloride equivalent to 1,000,000 IU vancomycin.
The other ingredients are sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid for pH adjustment.
Vancomycin 500 mg comes in the form of a white or slightly brownish powder in clear glass vials with a rubber stopper and orange aluminium cap.
Vancomycin 1000 mg comes in the form of a white or slightly brownish powder, in clear glass vials with a rubber stopper and white aluminium cap.
Each package contains 1, 5, 10 or 20 vials.
Before use, the powder is dissolved and diluted with an intravenous liquid, obtaining a solution which will be administered to you slowly into a vein (“drip”), by a doctor or nurse.
Each 500 mg vial contains 500 mg of vancomycin hydrochloride. After reconstitution with 10 ml of water for injections is obtained a solution with a concentration of 50 mg/ml, and after further dilutions a solution with a concentration of 5 mg/ml is obtained.
Each 1000 mg vial contains 1000 mg of vancomycin hydrochloride. After reconstitution with 20 ml of water for injections is obtained a solution with a concentration of 50 mg/ml, and after further dilutions a solution with a concentration of 5 mg/ml is obtained.
This leaflet was last revised in December 2025.
Antibiotics are used to cure bacterial infections. They are ineffective against viral infections.
If your doctor has prescribed antibiotics, you need them precisely for your current illness.
Despite antibiotics, some bacteria may survive or grow. This phenomenon is called resistance: some antibiotic treatments become ineffective.
Misuse of antibiotics increases resistance. You may even help bacteria become resistant and therefore delay your cure or decrease antibiotic efficacy if you do not respect appropriate:
Consequently, to preserve the efficacy of this drug:
1. Use antibiotics only when prescribed.
2. Strictly follow the prescription.
3. Do not re-use an antibiotic without medical prescription, even if you want to treat a similar illness.
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+44 (0)845 6436 703
+44 (0)845 6436 703
