infectious diseases
Vancomycin
Indications for Vancomycin
Oral vancomycin is used to treat Clostridioides (formerly, Clostridium) difficile–induced diarrhea Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile–Induced Diarrhea Toxins produced by Clostridioides difficile strains in the gastrointestinal tract cause pseudomembranous colitis, typically after antibiotic use. Symptoms are diarrhea, sometimes bloody... read more (pseudomembranous colitis). Vancomycin is recommended over metronidazole for an initial episode of nonsevere C. difficile infection. It is preferred over metronidazole for patients who have severe C. difficile infection and is preferred for patients who do not respond to metronidazole. However, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) 2021 clinical practice guidelines on the management of Clostridioides difficile infection in adults recommend that fidaxomicin (when available) be used over vancomycin for C. difficile infection.