The so-called glycopeptide antibiotics include substances with the active ingredient vancomycin.
Effect
The so-called glycopeptide antibiotics include substances with the active ingredient vancomycin. These drugs act by inhibiting the formation of the bacteria‘s cell wall. When the cells can no longer build up their outer shell, they die and the infection subsides.
Fields of application
Glycopeptide antibiotics are used to treat diseases caused by gram-positive germs. If a patient falls ill with the hospital germ MRSA (multi-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), vancomycin is an important drug. It is also widely used in the intestinal disease pseudomembranous colitis. However, there are also bacteria with resistance to vancomycin. These include vancomycin-resistant enterococci (=VRE), which can also be counted among the hospital germs.
Side effects
As side effects of the glycopeptide antibiotics, kidney damage (nephrotoxicity) and hearing disorders (ototoxicity) may occur. Care should also be taken not to combine glycopeptides with drugs that have the same spectrum of side effects, as the effects will then be correspondingly stronger (e.g. with aminoglycosides or furosemide, trade name: Lasix®).
