Telavancin Injection

Conditions Treated

Telavancin injection is used alone or with other medications to treat serious skin infections caused by certain types of bacteria. Telavancin injection is in a class of medications called lipoglycopeptide antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Telavancin injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• metallic or soapy taste
• decreased appetite
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• stomach pain
• foamy urine
• chills
• dizziness
• headache
• pain or redness in the place where the medication was injected

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• watery or bloody stools, stomach cramps, or fever up to two or more months after stopping treatment
• irregular heartbeat

Telavancin injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Telavancin injection comes as a powder to be added to fluid and given through a needle or catheter placed in your vein. It is usually infused (injected slowly) intravenously (into a vein) over a period of 60 minutes once every 24 hours for 7 to 14 days. The length of your treatment depends on the type of infection you have. You may receive telavancin injection in a hospital or you may administer the medication at home. If you are using telavancin injection at home, use it at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or other healthcare provider to explain any part you do not understand. Use telavancin injection exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor. If you will be using telavancin injection at home, your healthcare provider will show you how to infuse the medication. Be sure that you understand these directions, and ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions. Ask your healthcare provider what to do if you have any problems infusing telavancin injection. It is important that telavancin injection be infused slowly over at least 60 minutes. If it is given too quickly, you may develop red coloring of your upper body, hives, itching, or rash. You should begin to feel better during the first few days of treatment with telavancin injection. If your symptoms do not improve or get worse, tell your doctor. Use telavancin injection until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop using telavancin injection too soon or skip doses, your infection may not be completely treated and the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before using telavancin injection, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to telavancin injection or any other medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin, in Lotrel), captopril (Capoten, in Capozide), enalapril (Vasotec, in Vaseretic), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc, in Uniretic), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril, in Quinaretic), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik, in Tarka); angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) such as candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro, in Avalide), losartan (Cozaar, in Hyzaar), olmesartan (Benicar, in Azor), telmisartan (Micardis), and valsartan (Diovan, in Exforge); anticoagulants (''blood thinners'') such as warfarin (Coumadin); aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn); cisapride (Propulsid); diuretics (''water pills''); erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin); medications that control the heart rhythm or rate such as amiodarone (Cordarone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), procainamide, quinidine, and sotalol (Betapace, Betapace AF); moxifloxacin (Avelox); pimozide (Orap); sparfloxacin (Zagam) (not available in the U.S.); and thioridazine. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with telavancin injection, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had a prolonged QT interval (rare heart problem that may cause irregular heartbeat, fainting, or sudden death) and if you have or have ever had diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, or kidney disease. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using telavancin injection.