MPORTANT
WARNING:
Amikacin can cause severe
hearing and kidney problems.
Before administering amikacin, tell
your doctor and pharmacist what
prescription and nonprescription
medications you are taking, especially
diuretics ('water pills'),
cisplatin (Platinol), amphotericin (Amphotec,
Fungizone), other
antibiotics, and vitamins.
If you experience any of the following symptoms,
call
your health care provider immediately: dizziness, vertigo,
ringing in
the ears, hearing loss, numbness, muscle twitching or
weakness,
difficulty breathing, decreased urination, rash, itching,
or sore
throat.

About your treatment

Your doctor has ordered
amikacin, an antibiotic, to help
treat your infection. The drug will
be either injected into a large
muscle (such as your buttock or
hip) or added to intravenous fluid that
will drip through a needle
or catheter placed in your vein for at least
30 minutes, one to
three times a day.
Amikacin eliminates bacteria that cause many kinds of
infections,
including lung, skin, bone, joint, stomach, blood, and
urinary
tract infections. This medication is sometimes prescribed for
other
uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Your health care provider
(doctor, nurse, or pharmacist)
may measure the effectiveness and
side effects of your treatment using
laboratory tests and physical
examinations. It is important to keep all
appointments with your
doctor and the laboratory. The length of
treatment depends on how
your infection and symptoms respond to the
medication.
Precautions

Before administering
amikacin,

Administering your
medication


Before you administer amikacin, look at the
solution
closely. It should be clear and free of floating material.
Gently
squeeze the bag or observe the solution container to make
sure there are
no leaks. Do not use the solution if it is
discolored, if it contains
particles, or if the bag or container
leaks. Use a new solution, but
show the damaged one to your health
care provider.
It is important that you use your medication exactly as
directed.
Do not stop your therapy on your own for any reason because
your
infection could worsen and result in hospitalization. Do not change

your dosing schedule without talking to your health care provider. Your
health care provider may tell you to stop your infusion if you have a
mechanical
problem (such as a blockage in the tubing, needle, or
catheter); if
you have to stop an infusion, call your health care
provider
immediately so your therapy can continue.
Side effects


Amikacin
occasionally causes side effects. To reduce this
risk, your health
care provider may adjust your dose based on your
blood test results.
Follow the directions in the IMPORTANT WARNING
section for symptoms
listed there and tell your health care provider if
any of the
following symptoms are severe or do not go away:

Storing your medication

If you are receiving
amikacin
intramuscularly (in your muscle), your health care provider
will tell
you how to store it properly.
Store your medication only
as directed. Make sure you
understand what you need to store your
medication properly.
Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you
are not
using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of
reach of
children. Your health care provider will tell you how to
throw away used
needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid
accidental injury.
Signs of infection


If you are receiving amikacin in your vein
or under your
skin, you need to know the symptoms of a
catheter-related infection (an
infection where the needle enters
your vein or skin). If you experience
any of these effects near your
intravenous catheter, tell your health
care provider as soon as
possible:

Brand names