Amikacin

Other names used:

• Amcin®
• Amikafur®
• Amikin®
• Mikacin®

Active Ingredients:

• Amikacin sulfate

How does Amikacin work and what pharmaceutical group does it belong to?

Amikacin is a semisynthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic of the aminoglycosides with a bactericidal effect. Binding to 30S ribosomal subunit, the drug prevents formation of the transport and messenger RNA complex, blocks protein synthesis, and also destroys the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria.

Amikacin is highly effective against aerobic gram-negative microorganisms: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Serratia spp., Providencia spp., Enterobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp.; some Gram-positive microorganisms: Staphylococcus spp.

Which conditions are treated with Amikacin?

Infectious-inflammatory diseases caused by gram-negative microorganisms (resistant to gentamicin, kanamycin and sisomicin) or associations of Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms:

• respiratory tract infections (bronchitis, pneumonia, empyema, lung abscess)
• sepsis
• bacterial endocarditis
• CNS infection (including meningitis)
• infections of the abdominal cavity (including peritonitis)
• urinary tract infections (pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis)
• purulent infections of skin and soft tissues
• biliary tract infections
• infections of bones and joints (including osteomyelitis)
• wound infection
• post-operative infection

What should a patient know before using Amikacin?

Amikacin should not be used in cases of:

• neuritis of the auditory nerve
• severe chronic renal failure with azotemia and uremia
• pregnancy
• hypersensitivity to the drug
• hypersensitivity to other aminoglycosides in history

Use Amikacin with caution in the following conditions:

• myasthenia gravis
• Parkinson's disease
• botulism
• dehydration
• kidney failure
• neonates
• preterm infants
• elderly patients
• lactation

Which adverse effects may manifest when using the medication?

The side effects of Amikacin include:

• digestive system: nausea, vomiting, liver dysfunction
• hemopoietic system: anemia, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia
• CNS and peripheral nervous system: headache, drowsiness, neurotoxic effect (muscle twitching, numbness, tingling, seizures), impaired neuromuscular transmission (respiratory arrest)
• sensory organs: ototoxicity (hearing loss, vestibular and labyrinth disorders, irreversible deafness), toxic effects on the vestibular apparatus (discoordination movements, dizziness, nausea, vomiting)
• urinary system: nephrotoxicity
• allergic reactions: skin rash, itching, skin redness, fever, angioedema
• local reactions: pain at the injection site, dermatitis, phlebitis

It is not necessary that the side effects will manifest in an individual but the possibility still exist. For more information please consult your health care provider.

Which groups of drugs or specific preparations may interact with Amikacin?

The drug is affected by the following:

• penicillins, cephalosporins
• nalidixic acid
• polymyxin B
• alkylating agents
• tricyclic glycopeptides
• diuretics
• sulfonamides and NSAIDs
• curare-like agents
• drugs that block neuromuscular transmission
• aminoglycosides
• anti-myasthenic drugs

Tell your doctor about all the herbal preparations as well as prescription drugs that you are currently taking even if they are not on the list.

Important information for the patient: Amikacin is supplied for individual use. Do not use it to treat other conditions not listed in the leaflet. Keep the product out of children reach. Do not reuse any disposable materials if supplied with the preparation.