Introduction

Name

• Amikacin.

Class of drug

• Aminoglycoside antibiotic.

Uses

Indications

• Pseudomonas aeruginosainfections.
• Gentamicin-resistant infections   Gentamicin  .
• Probable gentamicin-resistant, gram-negative infections.

Administration

Pharmacokinetics

Precautions

Interactions

with other drugs

• Avoid the concurrent use of other nephrotoxic, ototoxic or neurotoxic agents, eg amphotericin B, cisplatin, frusemide, methoxyflurane. Increase monitoring and adjust dosages when these drugs must be used with amikacin.
• Aminoglycosides may be inactivated by beta-lactam antibiotics, eg penicillins, cephalosporins or heparin when mixedin vitro. This may present a problemin vivoin patients who have substantially diminished renal function.
• The effect of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, eg atracurium, pancuronium, tubocuramine, vecuronium, may be enhanced by aminoglycosides.
• Synergism may occur when aminoglycosides are used with penicillins or cephalosporins (Streptococcus faecalis) or with ticarcillin (Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

Adverse Reactions

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Based on Small Animal Formulary. Tennant Bryn (1999) 3rd edn. Cheltenham: BSAVA.
• The Veterinary Formulary. 4th edn (1998) Bishop Y (ed). British Veterinary Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
• Carpenter (1996) Exotic Animal Formulary. 1st edn. Greystone Publications.