Telavancin, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by IV to treat serious bacterial infections.
• Keep all appointments for tests to see how this medicine affects you.
• If you develop severe diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts more than 2 or 3 days while taking this medicine, or for several weeks after you stop taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antibacterial

Generic and brand names: telavancin, injection; Vibativ

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is an antibiotic given by IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein) to treat serious bacterial infections.

This medicine will not cure viral infections such as colds and the flu.

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine
• Diabetes
• Heart disease, including heart failure or long QT syndrome (problems with electrical activity in the heart muscle)
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease

Females of childbearing age: Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant because it may harm the baby. You must have a pregnancy test before you are given this medicine. If you become pregnant, contact your healthcare provider right away. If you need birth control, talk to your healthcare provider about what forms to use while you are taking this medicine. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Read the Medication Guide that you are given when you start receiving this medicine.

The injections are given by IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein) by your healthcare provider, usually when you are in a hospital.

This medicine may cause an infusion reaction. If you have flushing, itching, or a rash on your face, neck, and upper body while receiving infusions of this medicine, tell your provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may cause new or worsening kidney problems. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

You will have lab tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments.

This medicine may cause or worsen diarrhea. If you develop severe diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts more than 2 or 3 days while taking this medicine, or for several weeks after you stop taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not take medicine to treat diarrhea without your provider's approval.

Adults over the age of 65 may be at greater risk for side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Severe diarrhea; severe nausea or vomiting; unusual tiredness or weakness; severe dizziness or fainting; trouble urinating; decreased urination; fever; chills; severe stomach pain; flushing, redness, or itching during the infusion; chest pain; fast or irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath; severe injection site pain, swelling, or redness.

Other: Headache; nausea; vomiting; foamy urine; change in sense of taste; decreased appetite; swelling, pain, or redness at the infusion site.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ACE inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril, enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril, lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• Alfuzosin (Uroxatral)
• Anagrelide (Agrylin)
• Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) such as azilsartan (Edarbi), candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), losartan (Cozaar), olmesartan (Benicar), telmisartan (Micardis), and valsartan (Diovan)
• Antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax), bedaquiline (Sirturo), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), and telithromycin (Ketek)
• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline, citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine, desipramine (Norpramin), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nefazodone, nortriptyline (Pamelor), sertraline (Zoloft), trazodone and venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Antifungal medicines such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), posaconazole (Noxafil), and voriconazole (Vfend)
• Antipsychotic medicines such as aripiprazole (Abilify), asenapine (Saphris), chlorpromazine, clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo), fluphenazine, haloperidol (Haldol), iloperidone (Fanapt), olanzapine (Zyprexa), paliperidone (Invega), pimozide (Orap), quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal), thioridazine, trifluoperazine, and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Bupropion (Aplenzin, Forfivo, Wellbutrin, Buproban, Zyban)
• Cancer medicines such as arsenic trioxide (Trisenox), axitinib (Inlyta), ceritinib (Zykadia), crizotinib (Xalkori), dasatinib (Sprycel), erlotinib (Tarceva), imatinib (Gleevec), lapatinib (Tykerb), nilotinib (Tasigna), pazopanib (Votrient), sorafenib (Nexavar), sunitinib (Sutent), toremifene (Fareston), vandetanib (Caprelsa), and vemurafenib (Zelboraf)
• Cisapride
• Diuretics (water pills) such as bumetanide, furosemide (Lasix), and torsemide (Demadex)
• Doxepin (Silenor)
• Eliglustat (Cerdelga)
• Fingolimod (Gilenya)
• Heart medicines such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), dronedarone (Multaq), flecainide, procainamide, propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine, and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine)
• Heparin
• HIV medicines such as lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra) and saquinavir (Invirase)
• Malaria medicines such as artemether/lumefantrine (Coartem), chloroquine, mefloquine, primaquine, and quinine
• Medicines to treat breathing or lung problems such as arformoterol (Brovana), formoterol (Perforomist), and salmeterol (Serevent)
• Mifepristone (Korlym, Mifeprex)
• Nausea medicines such as dolasetron (Anzemet), droperidol (Inapsine), and ondansetron (Zofran)
• Octreotide (Sandostatin)
• Pain medicines such as buprenorphine (Buprenex, Butrans), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Cambia, Voltaren, Zipsor), diflunisal, etodolac, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen, ketorolac, meloxicam (Mobic), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan), oxaprozin (Daypro), and piroxicam (Feldene)
• Paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva)
• Pasireotide (Signifor)
• Tacrolimus (Astagraf, Prograf, Protopic)
• Tetrabenazine (Xenazine)
• Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn)

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.