AMBISOME

Ambisome Information

Ambisome is a strong antibiotic, based on Amphotericin B, which is used in the treatment of severe fungal infections. This medication is available under the form of solution, generally being administered as an intravenous infusion. Typically, this antibiotic is prescribed in cases where the infection does not respond to other antibiotics. This drug should not be administered in the case of minor infections (such as yeast infections).

Ambisome Indications

Ambisome injections are typically prescribed to patients suffering from severe and possibly life threatening fungal infections. Patients that have a certain form of meningitis may be prescribed a treatment with this medication, especially if their immune system has been compromised by medical conditions such as an HIV infection.

Ambisome may also be prescribed for patients suffering from other medical conditions that are not listed here. In order to find out exactly why you have been prescribed a treatment with this drug, it is advised that you consult your prescribing health care professional.

Ambisome Warnings

The usage of Ambisome injections is not recommended in patients that are allergic to it or to any of its ingredients. Caution must be employed in the treatment of all patients with allergies to antibiotics. Administration to patients suffering from heart disease or kidney disease may also require special consideration, as Ambisome may not be the best solution for their case – in such cases adjustment of the average doses of this antibiotic may be employed.

Ambisome has been proven to be safe for use in the treatment of pregnant women. However, it has not yet been established whether this drug is safe to use in the case of nursing mothers. If you are breast feeding a baby, you should discuss your treatment options with your personal health care provider in order to determine what the best therapy plan for your specific case is.

Ambisome Intake Guidelines

The Ambisome injections are administered only by authorized health care professionals in hospital settings. The medicine is administered intravenously through a continuous transfusion that may last for up to two hours. During that time, the administering health care professional will perform regular tests of your pulse, blood pressure and temperature, and will also check the proper functioning of your lungs.

Treatment with Ambisome may continue for several weeks and even months, depending on the effectiveness of the treatment and the infection being treated. As there is a risk of long term side effects, it is advised that you never miss any follow-up appointments with your health care professional.

Ambisome Dosage

The exact Ambisome dosage may vary greatly depending on the particularities of the case. Such factors as the patient’s medical condition, general medical history, age, the clinical infection for which he is being treated for, influence the prescribing health care professional’s decision regarding the dosage of this medication that the patient will be administered; however other factors may contribute to this decision as well.

Ambisome Overdose

As the Ambisome doses will be administered by an authorized health care professional in hospital settings, the risk of receiving too much of this medication at once is very low. However, if you have reasons to believe that you are suffering from an overdose with Ambisome, you should immediately go to the nearest hospital to seek emergency medical attention. Among the symptoms that may be experienced in the case of an overdose with this drug, the most common are infrequent urination or the complete lack of urination.

Ambisome Missed Dose

Normally, the Ambisome doses are administered in a hospital or a clinic by an authorized health care professional, and as such it is highly unlikely that you will miss a dose of the medication. If you are following the Ambisome therapy in an outpatient clinic, it is advised that you should call your personal health care professional if you will miss a dose of the drug. In such cases the appointment needs to be scheduled as soon as possible.

Ambisome Side Effects

Ambisome may cause side effects, especially if the individual is following an intense therapy with this medication. These adverse clinical manifestations may appear as a reaction at the site of the infusion (such as lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, sweats or chills) and may appear either immediately, or within a few hours from the infusion.

Some patients may experience one or several mild side effects, such as localized pain, irritation or swelling at the site of the injection, loss of appetite and weight loss, mild nausea, diarrhea or vomiting, joint or muscle aches, insomnia or anxiety. If any of these symptoms become persistent or bothersome, you should bring the situation to the attention of your personal health care provider.

In rare cases, this antibiotic may cause severe side effects which require immediate medical attention. These may include extreme drowsiness, confusion or weakness, nausea and vomiting, chest pains, fainting, convulsions, fast heartbeat, jaundice or bloody urine.

Ambisome Drug Reactions

There are several drugs that may interact with Ambisome. As such, it is highly advised that you inform your prescribing health care professional if you are also following a treatment with Flucytosine, Pentramidine, Digoxin, Tacrolimus, medication from the steroids class (such as Prednisone), muscle relaxers or other antifungal antibiotics (for example Clotrimazole, Itraconazole, Ketoconazole or Fluconazole). Other types of antibiotic medication (Capreomycin, Vancomycin or Rifampin) or antiviral drugs (Adefovir, Acyclovir, Foscarnet or Cidofovir) may interact with Ambisome as well. In cases where the patient is also taking cancer medication (Tretinoin, Oxaliplatin, Streptozocin, Plicamycin, Ifosfamide, Aldesleukin, Cisplatin or Carmustine), he or she may not be able to start a treatment with this antibiotic.

There may also be other drugs that interact with Ambisome and are not listed here. It is advised to let your doctor know of any other medication you are currently taking before starting a therapy with this drug.