What is Daptomycin?

Daptomycin injection is used to treat complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI). It is also used to treat infections in the bloodstream, including right-sided infective endocarditis.

Daptomycin belongs to the class of medicines known as antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. This medicine is given through a needle placed into one of your veins. This medicine may be injected for 2 minutes (in adults only) or it may be given slowly, so the needle will have to remain in place for up to 60 minutes.

To help clear up your infection completely, keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Also, this medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood. To help keep the amount constant, you must receive this medicine on a regular schedule.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of daptomycin injection in children. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 1 year of age.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of daptomycin injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have increased unwanted side effects, which may require caution in patients receiving daptomycin injection.

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Atorvastatin
• Fluvastatin
• Lovastatin
• Pravastatin
• Rosuvastatin
• Simvastatin

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diarrhea or
• Muscle problems (eg, myopathy, rhabdomyolysis) or
• Nerve problems (eg, neuropathy)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Kidney disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.

• Staphylococcus infection, persisting or relapsing—Patients with this condition should have repeated blood tests.

Your doctor will check your progress closely while you are receiving this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. This can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are receiving this medicine.

Call your doctor right away if you develop chest pain, dry cough, fever, general feeling of tiredness or weakness, rapid breathing, trouble breathing, or skin rash after receiving this medicine. These maybe symptoms of a serious condition called eosinophilic pneumonia.

Daptomycin injection may cause diarrhea, and in some cases it can be severe. It may occur 2 months or more after you stop receiving this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor. If you have any questions or if mild diarrhea continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

If you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness while receiving this medicine, check with your doctor right away.

Check with your doctor right away if you are having burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations in the arms, hands, legs, or feet after receiving this medicine. These could be symptoms of a condition called peripheral neuropathy.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are receiving this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This especially includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.