Amikacin (amikacin sulfate)

• Blood infection (septicemia): people with serious blood infection caused by certain gram-negative bacteria, including newborn babies (neonatal sepsis).
• Serious respiratory tract infections: people with serious lung and airway infections caused by certain gram-negative bacteria.
• Bone and joint infections: people with serious bone and joint infections caused by certain gram-negative bacteria.
• Brain and spinal cord infections, including meningitis: people with serious central nervous system infections caused by certain gram-negative bacteria.
• Skin and soft tissue infections: people with serious skin and soft tissue infections caused by certain gram-negative bacteria.
• Intra-abdominal infections: people with serious infections inside the belly, including peritonitis (infection of the belly lining).
• Burns and infections after surgery: people with infected burns or infections after surgery, including after blood vessel surgery.
• Complicated urinary tract infections: people with serious complicated or repeat urinary tract infections; not for a first, simple infection unless the germ resists safer antibiotics.
• Staph infections: people with known or suspected Staphylococcus (staph) infections in certain cases: severe infections that may be staph or gram-negative, staph infections in people allergic to other antibiotics, and mixed staph and gram-negative infections.

A prescription is required. Your prescriber decides whether Amikacin is right for you.

IV infusion, given by a healthcare professional. When your prescriber agrees it can be given at home, we send a skilled nurse from an accredited nursing agency to give it.

Injection into a muscle, given by a healthcare professional. When your prescriber agrees it can be given at home, we send a skilled nurse from an accredited nursing agency to give it.

Before the first dose, your prescriber may ask for:

• a lab test of a sample (culture) to find the germ and see whether amikacin can treat it
• a check of your current body weight
• a blood test of how well your kidneys work
• hearing tests (audiograms) when possible, especially for people at higher risk of hearing loss
• questions about whether anyone in your mother's family lost their hearing from this type of antibiotic (aminoglycosides)

Important safety information: This medicine has a boxed warning about the risk of permanent hearing loss and balance problems, kidney damage, and other nerve problems, including muscle weakness that can stop breathing (neuromuscular blockade and respiratory paralysis). It also warns against using it with certain other medicines that can harm the kidneys or nerves, including strong water pills (diuretics).

Read the Medication Guide and the full Amikacin prescribing information, and ask your prescriber or our pharmacists about side effects. Our pharmacists are on call 24 hours a day.

Health plans often require prior authorization for Amikacin. Our intake team checks your coverage and works with your prescriber’s office on the paperwork before your first delivery.

Offices can call (844) 671-2600 or fax a referral to (844) 671-2601. Referral forms for each specialty are on our referral forms page.