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 colistimethate |
| Coly-Mycin M |
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Pharmaceutical
company:
Monarch Pharmaceuticals
www.kingpharm.com |
NEW WARNING
The FDA has released an alert regarding a reported death that occurred while a patient was using colistimethate as an inhaled antibiotic. The drug is approved for I.V. and I.M. use but is often inhaled through a nebulizer to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. When mixed with water, the drug breaks down to colistin, which is toxic to lung tissue. Though the inhalation of colistimethate hasn't been established as the direct cause of the reported death, the FDA is reminding providers that colistimethate is approved for I.M. and I.V. use only, not for use by inhalation via nebulizer. If providers choose to use it via nebulizer, it should be used right after it's mixed in solution, and patients should be advised not to use any pre-mixed or ready-to-use liquid forms, which could cause lung injury. Patients should be advised to discard any unused liquid forms. The FDA is investigating the cause of the reported death, as well as the pharmacy that prepared the liquid preparation.
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