
The vancomycin
Vancomycin
Vancomycin is an antibiotic used to treat infections. This form of vancomycin is used to treat a certain intestinal condition caused by bacteria.
What is the normal trough level for vancomycin?
Vancomycin is an antibiotic drug used to treat serious, life-threatening infections by gram-positive bacteria that are resistant to less-toxic agents. The reference range for vancomycin trough levels is 5-15 mcg/mL. The reference range for vancomycin peak levels is 20-40 mcg/mL. [ 1]
How often to check Vanco trough?
How often should a Vanco trough be drawn? -Vancomycin trough levels should ideally be drawn immediately before administration of the fourth dose (within 30 minutes of the dose is acceptable), assuming the dose is given at its regular dosing interval (e.g. the fourth dose of a vancomycin 1g q12h regimen is administered 12 hours after the prior ...
How often should you get vancomycin trough?
o Once target trough achieved: trough should be taken every 7-10 days in hemodynamically stable patients; may need more frequently if hemo-dynamically unstable, renal function changing, or patient is on concurrent nephrotoxic drugs. NB: Do NOT hold next vancomycin dose while waiting for results of plasma levels unless
When to check for vancomycin trough level?
Vancomycin levels are taken 1-2 hours pre - dose (trough). Do not wait for the level to come back before giving the dose that is due unless CrCl <20mL/min or specifically instructed to do so by microbiology or pharmacy. The trough level should be between 10-20mg/L. Adult Vancomycin intermittent infusion: Prescribing,

What is a peak and trough?
Peak and trough levels indicate drug levels in an individual's body. A peak is the highest level of a medication in the blood, while a trough level indicates the lowest concentration. Troughs of medication concentration occur after the drug has been broken down and metabolized by the body.
When should peak and trough levels be drawn?
A trough level is drawn immediately before the next dose of the drug is administered. A peak level is drawn 1 to several hours after the drug is administered (depending on the drug).
Why do you need a peak and trough for vancomycin?
Peak and trough serum concentrations are routinely measured to monitor vancomycin therapy. Optimal therapy depends upon maintaining a concentration above that necessary for antibacterial activity and is therefore determined by the trough concentration.
What is vancomycin trough?
When a person takes a dose of vancomycin, the amount in the blood rises for a period of time, peaks, and then begins to fall, usually reaching its lowest level, or trough, just before the next dose. The next dose is timed to coincide with the falling concentration of the drug in the blood.
When is vancomycin peak level?
Draw trough specimen immediately before (≤30 min) next dose. Draw peak specimen 1-2 hours after completion of intravenous dosage.
What is the peak level of vancomycin?
Toxic: Peak vancomycin concentrations >80−100 μg/mL may be associated with ototoxicity. For patients on concomitant or sequential therapy with other oto- and/or nephrotoxic agents, vancomycin concentrations >30 μg/mL may be associated with nephrotoxicity.
What is a peak level?
Peak level is the instantaneous measurement of level. It's important because it lets us know the highest level of the audio and how close it is to the ceiling, or the maximum allowable level before distortion. Average level is a measurement of the average energy that occurs over a window of time.
What is a normal trough level?
Serum trough levels should be done on the fifth day of treatment, and the dose adjusted, aiming for a trough level range of 2 to 5 μg/mL. Trough levels >5 μg/mL should be avoided because of the risk of neurotoxicity and other drug-related adverse events.
Why would vancomycin trough be low?
The odds ratio of low trough among adult patients < 65 years is 5.5 folds higher than elderly patients > 65 years. The low trough level among adult patients is attributed to the rapid elimination process of vancomycin; thus, an increase in the dose frequency is suggested to be every 8 hr (Legal and Wan, 2010).
Why are trough levels important?
The trough is the lowest level of the drug while in the therapeutic range. A trough level should be drawn before the next dose is due, and helps determine if the next dose needs to be adjusted, depending on the results. In some cases, the next dose could be skipped or the dose will be decreased for patient safety.
How often do you draw Vanco trough?
Subsequent trough levels: o With dosage change: trough should be taken at new steady state* as described above. o Once target trough achieved: trough should be taken every 7-10 days in hemodynamically stable patients; may need more frequently if hemo-dynamically unstable, renal function changing, or patient is on ...
What causes high vancomycin trough levels?
Several risk factors have been identified for VIN, which high trough vancomycin level (especially >20 mg/L) or doses (>4 g/day), concomitant use of nephrotoxic agents, prolonged therapy (more than 7 days), and admission to an intensive care unit (especially prolonged stay) are the most common ones (1-4, 14).
Why is peak and trough important in technical analysis?
Also, recognize that the time frame of the rising peaks and troughs (or falling peaks and troughs) determines the strength of the trend and that overall market confidence or lack thereof will reverse a trend faster than any indicator developed by technical analysts.
When should I take valproate level?
Often, the recommended time for sample collection is just before the next dose is received, when the drug level is at its lowest (trough level). This ensures that the minimum amount of drug to be effective is maintained in the blood.
What is the significance of a drug's trough to peak ratio?
DEFINITION OF TROUGH: PEAK RATIO: Applied to an antihypertensive drug, the term trough: peak ratio provides an index of how well the antihypertensive effect is sustained over the dose interval.
What is peak level of a drug?
The peak for a drug is when the level of the drug in the patient's body is the highest. To assess drug concentrations during the trough phase, blood should be drawn immediately before the next dose.
What are peaks and troughs?
Peaks and troughs are the highest and lowest concentrations of a medication in an individual’s body. They are used to determine dosing intervals, o...
What do peak and trough levels indicate?
Peak and trough levels indicate drug levels in an individual’s body. A peak is the highest level of a medication in the blood, while a trough level...
When do you take peak and trough levels?
The time to take peak levels depends on the route of administration. The peak level is taken about 15 to 30 minutes after intravenous injections or...
What are the most important facts to know about peaks and troughs?
Peaks and troughs are the highest and lowest concentrations, respectively, of a medication in an individual’s body. They are used to determine dosi...
What is the benefit of Bayesian AUC?
A benefit of using Bayesian AUC estimates is it can be applied to all patients (including obese, critically-ill patients, pediatrics, and patients with kidney dysfunction). Currently, it is preferred to estimate the Bayesian AUC on two vancomycin concentrations (peak and trough).
What is the AUC of vancomycin?
In patients receiving vancomycin, a greater risk of nephrotoxicity occurs when doses exceed 4 grams per day and trough levels are higher than 15mcg/mL and an AUC above 600 mg-h/L is present. Vancomycin associated AKI can be measured in different ways, but a common definition of AKI used is either.
How long does it take to draw vancomycin?
A Bayesian approach allows vancomycin levels to be drawn within the first 24 to 48 hours instead of waiting for steady-state conditions (after the 3rd or 4th dose). This information can be used to change subsequent dosing.
Why is it important to individualize the dose of vancomycin?
To maintain this steady-state, it’s important to individualize the dose because each person’s body will process and remove vancomycin at different rates based upon their age, underlying health status, weight, kidney function, and other medications they are taking.
Why is it important to monitor vancomycin levels?
Monitoring the level of vancomycin is important because its effectiveness relies on keeping blood levels above a minimum concentration for the entire duration of therapy (also referred to as total drug exposure).
What software program monitors AUC?
Utilizing a Bayesian software program to monitor the AUC
How much MRSA can you take?
According to these guidelines, a loading dose of 25-35 mg/kg can be administered to quickly reach targeted concentrations in critically ill patients with serious MRSA infections and normal renal function.
What is optimal therapy?
Optimal therapy depends upon maintaining a concentration above that necessary for antibacterial activity and is therefore determined by the trough concentration . I determined the post dose increases in serum drug concentrations in routine clinical practice in adult patients without renal failure.
What is peak and trough concentration?
Peak and trough serum concentrations are routinely measured to monitor vancomycin therapy. Optimal therapy depends upon maintaining a concentration above that necessary for antibacterial activity and is therefore determined by the trough concentration.
What is the recommended trough concentration for vancomycin?
aureus and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus are less likely to develop. 2 Consensus guidelines recommend a target trough concentration of 15 to 20 mcg/mL for clinical success in severe infections. 2 To reach these targets, weight-based doses of vancomycin (15 to 20 mg/kg) should be prescribed.
How are vancomycin levels interpreted?
Vancomycin levels must be interpreted in conjunction with appropriately timed blood specimens and previously scheduled doses. Waiting for a trough level result before administering a scheduled dose is cautioned against because this will interrupt the dosing schedule and potentially allow prolonged subtherapeutic levels. Following institution-specific policy is recommended.
Why are vancomycin levels important?
Studies have shown that when serum vancomycin levels are maintained above 10 mcg/mL, the emergence of vancomycin intermediate-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus are less likely to develop. 2 Consensus guidelines recommend a target trough concentration of 15 to 20 mcg/mL for clinical success in severe infections. 2 To reach these targets, weight-based doses of vancomycin (15 to 20 mg/kg) should be prescribed.
When are blood specimens for vancomycin levels obtained?
Specimens for vancomycin trough concentrations should be obtained just prior to (that is, 30 minutes before) the fourth dose (including the loading dose, if given) or at steady state. 2 At five half-lives, about 97% of steady-state serum concentrations will be reached. In adults with normal renal function, the half-life of vancomycin is 6 to 12 hours. 2 If steady state occurs within five half-lives (that is, in 30 to 60 hours), a vancomycin trough before the fourth dose is acceptable in a patient receiving every 8- or 12-hour dosing.
What is vancomycin used for?
VANCOMYCIN LEVELS are used to optimize dosing to help prevent bacterial resistance, improve patient outcomes, and avoid drug toxicity. A glycopeptide antibiotic, vancomycin is routinely used for treating infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, including Streptococcus and Enterococcus species and Staphylococcus aureus. 1 It's used empirically to treat meningitis, endocarditis, bacteremia, pneumonia, and skin and skin structure infections. 2 This article describes vancomycin levels and their utility in clinical practice.
How long does vancomycin last?
In adults with normal renal function, the half-life of vancomycin is 6 to 12 hours. 2 If steady state occurs within five half-lives (that is, in 30 to 60 hours), a vancomycin trough before the fourth dose is acceptable in a patient receiving every 8- or 12-hour dosing.
How long after a drug administration can you monitor vancomycin?
2 Vancomycin peak concentrations, levels from blood specimens obtained 30 to 60 minutes after drug administration, aren't routinely monitored in clinical practice.
What is peak and trough?
Vancomycin, Peak and Trough - Vancomycin is an antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infections, especially methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Vancomycin is also used in treatment for penicillin-allergic patients who cannot receive or have failed to respond to other drugs, including the penicillins and/or cephalosporins ...
How long does it take to collect peak after infusion?
Collect peak 1 hour after completion of the drug infusion. Collect as a trough just prior to next dose.
What is the minimum concentration of vancomycin?
Minimum serum vancomycin trough concentrations should always be maintained above 10 mg/L to avoid development of resistance. For a pathogen with an MIC of 1 mg/L, the minimum trough concentration would have to be at least 15 mg/L to generate the target AUC (Area under the curve):MIC of 400.
What is a good trough level for nephrotoxicity?
Trough monitoring is recommended for patients receiving aggressive dosing (i.e. to achieve sustained trough levels of 15–20 mg/L) and all patients at high risk of nephrotoxicity (e.g. patients receiving concurrent nephrotoxins).
How often should you measure a trough?
The recommendation for trough measurements is based on the use of twice or three times daily dosing . The timing of sampling in the American Guidelines (after four doses) is based on time to reach steady state. It differs from the TG where sampling after the first dose is recommended, unless patients have a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <10 mL/min in which case sampling is at 48 h. This may be useful in avoiding toxicity if this is of concern, but is less relevant for ensuring adequate mean inhibitory concentration (MIC) which is affected by the time to redistribute to tissues where the antimicrobial activity is required.
How many mg/L for TG?
Of note, the TG provide different trough concentration recommendations for 6 and 12 hourly dosing (15–25 mg/L and 10–20 mg/L respectively), which is not concordant with current clinical practice.
Can vancomycin cause nephrotoxicity?
However vancomycin can certainly potentiate the nephrotoxicity of other drugs such as aminoglycosides if given concurrently. Currently available data has suggested that vancomycin nephrotoxicity can occur at doses above 4 g/day9or with average steady state concentrations above 28 mg/L.1.
When should a trough be checked?
Trough concentrations should normally be checked prior to one of the third, fourth or fifth dose after commencement, after change in dose or change in renal function, or after 48 h if GFR is <10 mL/min.
Is vancomycin time dependent?
Traditionally vancomycin was believed to display time-dependent bacterial killing , in which case there is little evidence for the use of target peak concentrations. Similarly, this is not recommended in the TG or the AMH. However, the authors have noted that several laboratories in Australia continue to recommend this measurement. Recently, as highlighted in the recommendations, there is support for a degree of concentration-dependent killing with vancomycin. However whether peak concentration or time above some multiple of the trough is the optimal measurement is currently an area of active discussion amongst infectious diseases specialists.
