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Daptomycin
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Important Resources for Daptomycin:
Daptomycin (marketed as Cubicin) is a prescription drug used for the treatment of certain bloodstream and complicated skin infections. Cubicin is the first member of a family of antibiotics called cyclic lipopeptides. Cubicin is marketed by Cubist Pharmaceuticals.
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Uses
Cubicin is specifically indicated for the following infections:
Complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by the following microorganisms:
- Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant isolates)
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Streptococcus agalactiae
- Streptococcus dysgalactiae equisimilis
- Enterococcus faecalis (vancomycin-susceptible isolates only)
Bloodstream infections (bacteremia) involving Staphylococcus aureus caused by methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant isolates
How Daptomycin Is Taken
Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections
Cubicin 4 mg/kg is administered over a 30-minute period by intravenous (IV) infusion once every 24 hours for 7-14 days.
Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infections (Bacteremia)
Cubicin 6 mg/kg is administered over a 30-minute period by IV infusion once every 24 hours for a minimum of 2-6 weeks.
How It Works
Daptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide.
Cyclic lipopeptides like daptomycin bind to bacterial cell membranes and cause a rapid depolarization of the membrane potential (in essence, a sudden shift in the electrical balance between the inside and the outside of the cell).
This sudden depolarization causes inhibition of several key cell processes (such as protein, DNA, and RNA synthesis) which results in bacterial cell death.
How the body affects Daptomycin
The site of metabolism has not been identified; however, daptomycin does not appear to be metabolized by the liver.
Daptomycin is excreted primarily by the kidney; approximately 78% of the original dose is excreted in the urine and 5.7% of the dose is excreted in the feces.
Side Effects
Clinical studies cannot point to any side effects that are statistically attributable to Cubicin over comparative IV antibiotics.
However, some common side effects seen with Cubicin use are:
- constipation
- nausea
- injection site reactions
- headache
- diarrhea
Risks and Precautions
- Cubicin may cause serious muscle damage, causing muscle pain or weakness.
- Cubicin may affect nerve conduction, causing tingling, numbness, burning, or weakness.
- Cubicin may cause pseudomembranous colitis, causing diarrhea.
Drug Interactions
Due to increased risks of myalgia, stopping use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) may be necessary in patients receiving Cubicin.
Effectiveness
Two trials involving over 1,000 patients demonstrated the effectiveness of Cubicin in the treatment of complicated skin infections.[1]
References
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