Amphotericin B Lipid Complex (Systemic)
   
Amphotericin B Lipid Complex (Systemic)
US Brand Names
• Abelcet
Description
Amphotericin (am-foe-TER-i-sin) B lipid complex is an antifungal medicine. It is used to help the body overcome serious infections caused by fungus.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:
Parenteral
• Injection (U.S.)
Special Considerations
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For amphotericin B lipid complex, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to amphotericin B lipid complex. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy
Amphotericin B lipid complex has not been studied in pregnant women. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.
Breast-feeding
It is not known whether amphotericin B lipid complex passes into breast milk. However, amphotericin B lipid complex is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing infants.
Children
This medicine has been tested in children and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.
Older adults
This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
Other medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are using amphotericin B lipid complex, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:
• Acyclovir by injection (e.g., Zovirax) or
• Aminoglycosides (amikacin [e.g., Amikin], gentamicin [e.g., Garamycin], kanamycin [e.g., Kantrex], neomycin [e.g., Mycifradin], netilmicin [e.g., Netromycin], streptomycin, tobramycin [e.g., Nebcin]) or
• Anticonvulsants (medicine for seizures) or
• Bacitracin by injection or
• Capreomycin (e.g., Capastat) or
• Cidofovir (e.g., Vistide) or
• Ciprofloxacin (e.g., Cipro) or
• Cyclosporine (e.g., Sandimmune) or
• Deferoxamine (e.g., Desferal) or
• Demeclocycline (e.g., Declomycin) or
• Foscarnet (e.g., Foscavir) or
• Gold salts (medicine for arthritis) or
• Inflammation or pain medicine or
• Lithium or
• Oxytetracycline (e.g., Terramycin) or
• Pamidronate (e.g., Aredia) or
• Penicillamine (e.g., Cuprimine, Depen) or
• Pentamidine (e.g., NebuPent, Pentam 300) or
• Polymyxins by injection or
• Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin, Rimactane) or
• Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim combination (e.g., Bactrim, Cotrim, Septra, Sulfatrim) or
• Sulfonamides (e.g., sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole [e.g., Thiosulfil Forte], sulfamethoxazole [e.g., Gantanol, Urobak], sulfisoxazole [e.g., Gantrisin]) or
• Tacrolimus (e.g., Prograf) or
• Tetracycline (e.g., Achromycin, Sumycin) or
• Tiopronin (e.g., Thiola) or
• Vancomycin by injection (e.g., Vancocin)-Use of these medicines with amphotericin B lipid complex may increase the risk of side effects affecting the kidneys
• Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicine) or
• Corticotropin (ACTH) or
• Digitalis glycosides (heart medicine)-Use of amphotericin B lipid complex with corticosteroids, corticotropin, or digitalis medicines (such as digoxin) may cause changes in the blood that may increase the chance of heart problems
• Antineoplastic agents (cancer medicine) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Clozapine (e.g., Clozaril) or
• Colchicine or
• Didanosine (e.g., Videx) or
• Eflornithine (e.g., Ornidyl) or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Uracil mustard or
• X-ray treatment or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir)-Use of these medicines or x-ray treatment with amphotericin B lipid complex may increase the risk of side effects affecting the blood, kidneys, and lungs
Other medical problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of amphotericin B lipid complex. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
• Blood transfusion-Amphotericin B lipid complex may cause side effects affecting the lungs
• Kidney disease-Amphotericin B lipid complex may make your kidney problems worse
Administration
Dosing
The dose of amphotericin B lipid complex will be different for different patients. The following information includes only the average doses of amphotericin B lipid complex.
• For injection dosage form:
o For treatment of serious infection caused by fungus:
§ Adults and children-5 milligrams per kilogram (2.27 mg per pound) of body weight per day, injected slowly into a vein.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Chills and fever; headache; nausea and vomiting.
Less common
Difficulty in breathing; sore throat and fever; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual tiredness and weakness.
Rare
Increased or decreased urination.
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
More common
Diarrhea; loss of appetite; stomach pain.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
April 17, 1998 
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