Daptomycin Intravenous Advanced Patient Information - Drugs.com

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# Daptomycin (Intravenous)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 20, 2022.

## Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

- Cubicin
- Cubicin RF
- Dapzura RT

Available Dosage Forms:

- Powder for Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antibiotic

## Uses for daptomycin

Daptomycin injection is used to treat complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI). It is also used to treat infections in the bloodstream (bacteremia), 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, daptomycin will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.

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

## Before using daptomycin

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 daptomycin, the following should be considered:

### Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to daptomycin 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.

### Pediatric

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.

### Geriatric

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.

### Breastfeeding

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.

### Interactions with medicines

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 daptomycin, 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 daptomycin 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

### Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

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.

### Other medical problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of daptomycin. 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.

- Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI), known or suspected—Dapzura RT should not be used in patients with this condition. Daptomycin contains sorbitol, which can cause serious side effects in patients with HFI.

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

- Lung or breathing problems (eg, pneumonia)—Use is not indicated to treat patients with this condition.

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

## Proper use of daptomycin

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you daptomycin. Daptomycin is given through a needle placed into one of your veins. Daptomycin 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 daptomycin for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Also, daptomycin works best when there is a constant amount in the blood. To help keep the amount constant, you must receive daptomycin on a regular schedule.

Detailed Daptomycin dosage information

## Precautions while using daptomycin

Your doctor will check your progress closely while you are receiving daptomycin. 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.

Daptomycin 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 daptomycin.

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 daptomycin. 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 daptomycin. 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 daptomycin, check with your doctor right away.

Daptomycin may cause serious skin reactions, including drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), which can damage organs, including the liver, kidney, or heart. Check with your doctor if you have black, tarry stools, chest pain, chills, cough, fever, painful or difficult urination, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth, swollen glands, trouble breathing, unusual bleeding, bruising, tiredness, or weakness.

Daptomycin may cause a kidney problem called tubulointerstitial nephritis. Check with your doctor right away if you have a bloody or cloudy urine, fever, skin rash, swelling of the feet or lower legs, or greatly decreased frequency of urination or amount of urine.

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 daptomycin. 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 daptomycin. The results of some tests may be affected by daptomycin.

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.

## Daptomycin side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

- Bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
- fever
- tingling of the hands or feet
- unusual weight gain or loss

Less common

- Agitation
- black, tarry stools
- bladder pain
- bloody or cloudy urine
- blurred vision
- chest pain, discomfort, or tightness
- chills
- confusion
- cough
- decreased awareness or responsiveness
- decreased frequency or amount of urine
- depression
- diarrhea
- difficult, burning, or painful urination
- dilated neck veins
- dizziness
- dry mouth
- dryness and peeling of the skin
- fainting
- faintness or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- fast heartbeat
- frequent urge to urinate
- headache
- hostility
- increased blood pressure
- increased thirst
- irregular breathing
- irregular heartbeat
- irritability
- itching in the genital or other skin areas
- itching, pain, redness, swelling, tenderness, or warmth on the skin
- lightheadedness
- loss of appetite
- loss of consciousness
- lower back or side pain
- mood changes
- muscle pain, cramps, or twitching
- nausea
- nervousness
- numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
- pale skin
- pounding in the ears
- rapid, shallow breathing
- seizures
- severe sleepiness
- skin rash
- slow or fast heartbeat
- sneezing
- sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
- sore throat
- stomach pain
- sweating
- swollen glands
- trouble breathing
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness
- vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds

Rare

- Bleeding gums
- blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
- blood in the urine or stools
- burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
- clay-colored stools
- dark urine
- difficulty with moving
- drowsiness
- eye pain
- feeling of warmth
- feeling unusually cold
- general feeling of illness
- hives
- hoarseness
- increase in bone pain
- irritation
- joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
- loss of appetite
- mood or mental changes
- no blood pressure or pulse
- pinpoint red spots on the skin
- rapid heartbeat
- redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
- shivering
- skin rash, encrusted, scaly, and oozing
- stopping of the heart
- swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
- trembling
- trouble swallowing
- twitching, twisting, uncontrolled repetitive movements of the tongue, lips, face, arms, or legs
- unpleasant breath odor
- yellow eyes or skin

Incidence not known

- Diarrhea, watery, and severe, which may also be bloody
- dry cough
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- stomach cramps or tenderness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

- Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site
- difficulty having a bowel movement

Less common

- Anxiety
- back pain
- blurred vision
- cold sweats
- cool, pale skin
- depression
- flushed, dry skin
- fruit-like breath odor
- increased hunger
- increased urination
- itching of the vagina or outside genitals
- lack or loss of strength
- limb pain
- nervousness
- nightmares
- pain during sexual intercourse
- shakiness
- slurred speech
- sweating
- thick, white, curd-like vaginal discharge without odor or with mild odor
- trouble sleeping

Rare

- Bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
- belching
- change in taste
- continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
- excess air or gas in the stomach or intestines
- feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
- feeling of fullness
- hearing loss
- heartburn
- indigestion
- pain or discomfort in the chest, upper stomach, or throat
- passing gas
- pressure in the stomach
- red, sore eyes
- seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- sensation of spinning
- sore mouth or tongue
- swelling of the stomach area
- swelling or inflammation of the mouth
- white patches in the mouth or on the tongue

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Daptomycin side effects (more detail)

## More about daptomycin

- Check interactions
- Pricing & coupons
- Reviews (1)
- Latest FDA alerts (7)
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- Drug class: miscellaneous antibiotics
- Breastfeeding
- En español

### Patient resources

- Drug Information

#### Other brands

Cubicin, Cubicin RF, Dapzura RT

### Professional resources

- Prescribing Information

### Related treatment guides

- Endocarditis
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection
- Bacteremia
- Skin and Structure Infection
- Skin or Soft Tissue Infection

## Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer