Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Gentamicin sulfate may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
for The name of this medicine is Gentamicin 10mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion and Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion (called "gentamicin" in this leaflet). It contains a medicine called gentamicin sulfate. This belongs to a group of antibiotics called aminoglycosides. Gentamicin is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. This includes infections in:
e gentamicin Do not take Gentamicin if:
The following information is intended for medical or healthcare professionals only: Monitoring To avoid adverse events, continuous monitoring (before, during and after treatment) of renal function (serum creatinin, creatinin clearance), control of function of vestibule and cochlea as well as hepatic and laboratory parameters is recommended. In order to reduce the risk of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, the following instructions should be considered:
fibrosis or are over 65 years of age, or the patient is less than 1 year old. If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or nurse before using gentamicin. Other medicines and Gentamicin Tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines you buy without a prescription, including herbal medicines. This is because gentamicin can affect the way some other medicines work. Also, some medicines can affect the way gentamicin works. In particular tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:
Adults
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Gentamicin Sulphate 10mg/ml & 40mg/ml Leaflet Wockhardt UK – (w)165mm x (h)480mm DUMMY 9 pt. Gentamicin_Leaflet_107393-8.ai Adobe Illustrator CS5 Myriad Pro Regular / Italic / Bold 6th March, 2024
CHANGE CONTROL : Version changes due to change in: Size/Layout Regulatory Changes in detail: • New regulatory text
Black
Cutter Guide (do not print)
Non-Regulatory
Use in children and adolescents
Other possible side effects:
Children (aged 1 year and above)
Very rare side effects (may affect less than 1 in 10,000 people)
Babies (aged 4 weeks to 1 year)
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from available data)
Premature babies or new born babies (up to 4 weeks):
Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine
gets serious or last longer than a few days. Also tell them if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Not all pack sizes may be marketed. Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer Marketing Authorisation Holder: Wockhardt UK Ltd, Ash Road North, Wrexham, LL13 9UF, UK. Manufacturer: CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Ash Road North, Wrexham, LL13 9UF, UK Other formats: To listen to or request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call, free of charge: 0800 198 5000 (UK only) Please be ready to give the following information: Product name
Reference Number
Gentamicin 10mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion
PL 29831/0659
Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion
PL 29831/0660
This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People. This leaflet was last revised in 03/2024.
107393/8
Instructions for administration and dilution After first opening: from the microbiological point of view, the product should be used immediately. Gentamycin can be diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride or 5% glucose solution. After dilution gentamicin is stable for 24 h at 25°C. Chemical and physical in-use stability has been demonstrated for 24 hours at 25°C. From a microbiological point of view, unless the method of opening/dilution precludes the risk of microbial contamination, the product should be used immediately. If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions prior to use are the responsibility of the user.
107393/8
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Gentamicin solution for injection or infusion
What gentamicin solution for injection or infusion contains
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if any of the following side effects happen:
Gentamicin 10mg/ml is available in packs containing 5 ampoules.
Very rare side effects (may affect less than 1 in 10,000 people)
Gentamicin 40mg/ml is available in packs containing 5 or 10 ampoules.
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from available data)
Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion comes as injection containing 40mg/ml. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion is gentamicin sulfate.
Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection/Infusion. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
Indications : gentamicin is indicated in bacteraemia, urinary tract infections, chest infections, severe neonatal infections and other serious systemic infections due to susceptible organisms, in adults and children including neonates.
Please see section 5.1.
Consideration should be given to official local guidance on the appropriate use of antibacterial agents.
Adults:
Systemic infections: if renal function is not impaired, 3-5 mg/kg/day in divided doses according to severity of infection, adjusting according to clinical response and body weight.
Serious infections: if renal function is not impaired, 5mg/kg daily in divided doses at six or eight hourly intervals. The total daily dose may be subsequently increased or decreased as clinically indicated.
Urinary tract infections: as 'systemic infections'. Or, if renal function is not impaired, 160mg once daily may be used.
Paediatric Patients:
The daily dose recommended in children (aged 1 year and above) and adolescents with normal renal function, is 3-6 mg/kg body weight per day as 1 single dose (preferred) or up to 2 single doses.
The daily dose in infants after the first month of life is 4.5-7.5 mg/kg body weight per day as 1 single dose (preferred) or up to 2 single doses.
The daily dose in neonates is 4-7 mg/kg body weight per day. Due to the longer half-life, neonates are given the required daily dose in 1 single dose.
Elderly:
There is some evidence that elderly patients may be more susceptible to aminoglycoside toxicity whether secondary to previous eighth nerve impairment or borderline renal dysfunction.
Accordingly, therapy should be closely monitored by frequent determination of gentamicin serum levels, assessment of renal function and signs of toxicity.
Renal impairment:
Gentamicin is excreted by simple glomerular filtration. In impaired renal function, the recommended daily dose has to be decreased and adjusted to the renal function.
Nomograms are available for the calculation of the dose, which depends on the patient's age, weight, and renal function
The following table may be useful when treating adults.
Blood Urea
Creatine clearance
Dose and frequency of administration
(mg/100ml)
(mmol/I)
(GFR) (ml/min)
<40
6-7
>70
80mg* 8 hourly
40-100
6-17
30-70
80mg* 12 hourly
100-200
17-34
10-30
80mg* daily
>200
>34
5-10
80mg* every 48 hours
Twice weekly intermittent haemodialysis
<5
80mg* after dialysis
*60mg if body weight <60kg. Frequency of dosage in hours may also be approximated as serum creatine (mg%) x eight or in SI units, as serum creatine (µmol/l) divided by 11. If these dosage guides are used peak serum levels must be measured. Peak levels of gentamicin occur approximately one hour after intramuscular injectable and intravenous injectable. Trough levels are measured just prior to the next injectable. Assay of peak serum levels gives confirmation of adequacy of dosage and also serves to detect levels above 10mg/l, at which the possibility of ototoxicity should be considered. One hour concentrations of gentamicin should not exceed 10mg/l (but should reach 4mg/l), while the pre-dose trough concentration should be less than 2mg/l
Method of administration
The recommended dose and precautions for intramuscular and intravenous administration are identical. Gentamicin when given intravenously should be injected directly into a vein or into the drip set tubing over no less than three minutes. If administered by infusion, this should be over no longer than 20 minutes and in no greater volume of fluid than 100ml.
Monitoring advice:
Serum concentration monitoring of gentamicin is recommended, especially in elderly, in newborns and in patients with impaired renal function. Samples are taken at the end of a dosing interval (trough level). Trough levels should not exceed 2 µg/ml administering gentamicin twice daily and 1 µg/ml for a once daily dose. Please refer to section 4.4
Hypersensitivity to the active substance(s) or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
Myasthenia gravis.
Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity
Ototoxicity has been reported following the use of aminoglycosides, including gentamicin. Symptoms include loss of balance and hearing loss, which may be irreversible (see section 4.8). Important risk factors include renal impairment, high doses, prolonged duration of treatment and age (neonates/infants and possibly the elderly). Due to the potential for ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity, monitoring of vestibule, cochlea and renal function is recommended before, during and shortly after treatment (see section 4.8). Serum levels are determined so as to avoid peak concentrations above 10mg/L and troughs above 1 mg/L when administering gentamicin once daily and 2mg/L when administering gentamicin twice daily.
As there is some evidence that risk of both ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity is related to the level of total exposure, duration of therapy should be the shortest possible compatible with clinical recovery. In some patients with impaired renal function there has been a transient rise in blood-urea-nitrogen which has usually reverted to normal during or following cessation of therapy. It is important to adjust the frequency of dosage according to the degree of renal function.
There have been observed cases of an increased risk of ototoxicity with aminoglycosides administered to patients with mitochondrial mutations, particularly the m.1555A>G mutation, including cases where the patient's aminoglycoside serum levels were within the recommended range. Some cases were associated with a maternal history of deafness and/or mitochondrial mutation. Mitochondrial mutations are rare, and the penetrance of this observed effect is unknown.
In cases of significant obesity gentamicin serum concentrations should be closely monitored and a reduction in dose should be considered. To avoid adverse events, continuous monitoring (before, during and after treatment) of hepatic and laboratory parameters is also recommended.
Gentamicin should only be used in pregnancy if considered essential by the physician (see section 4.6)
Gentamicin should be used with care in conditions characterised by muscular weakness.
There is an increased risk of ototoxicity in patients with mitochondrial DNA mutations (particularly the nucleotide 1555 A to G substitution in the 12S rRNA gene), even if aminoglycoside serum levels are within the recommended range during treatment. Alternative treatment options should be considered in such patients.
In patients with a maternal history of relevant mutations or aminoglycoside induced deafness, alternative treatments or genetic testing prior to administration should be considered.
Superinfection
Treatment with gentamicin may produce an excessive growth of drug-resistant micro-organisms. If this happens, an appropriate treatment should be initiated.
Pseudomembranous colitis
Diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis have been observed when gentamicin is combined with other antibiotics. These diagnoses should be considered in every patient that develops diarrhoea during or immediately after treatment. Gentamicin should be discontinued if the patient suffers severe diarrhoea and/or bloody diarrhoea during treatment and an appropriate treatment should be initiated. Drugs that inhibit peristalsis should not be administered (see section 4.8).
Severe subcutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs)
Serious skin reactions including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have been reported in association with gentamicin treatment. Patients should be informed about the signs and symptoms of serious skin manifestations and monitored closely. Treatment should be discontinued at the first appearance of skin rash, mucosal lesions or any other sign of skin hypersensitivity.
Excipients
This medicine contains 0,78 mg of sodium per ampoule (less than 23 mg per ampoule), i.e. it is essentially sodium free.
Sodium metabisulphite, one of the excipients of this medicinal product, may rarely cause severe hypersensitivity reactions and bronchospasm.
Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity
Concurrent administration of gentamicin and other potentially ototoxic or nephrotoxic drugs should be avoided. Potent diuretics such as etacrynic acid and furosemide are expected to enhance the risk of ototoxicity whilst amphotericin B, cisplatin and ciclosporin are potential enhancers of nephrotoxicity.
Any potential nephrotoxicity of cephalosporins, and in particular cephaloridine, may also be increased in the presence of gentamicin. Consequently, if this combination is used monitoring of kidney function is advised.
Neuromuscular blockade
Neuromuscular blockade and respiratory paralysis have been reported from administration of aminoglycosides to patients who have received curare-type muscle relaxants during anaesthesia. Concomitant use of gentamicin with drugs with neuromuscular blocking effects, such as botulinum toxin, may increase the risk of toxicity due to enhanced neuromuscular block.
Aminoglycosides such as gentamicin can also act as neuromuscular blockers and may therefore antagonise the effects of neostigmine or pyridostigmine.
The following combinations with gentamicin may require dose adjustment:
• Concomitant use of indomethacin possibly increases plasma concentrations of gentamicin in neonates
• Concomitant use with oral anticoagulants may decrease thrombin levels and increase the risk of bleeding.
• Concomitant use of bisphosphonates with gentamicin may increase the risk of hypocalcaemia
Pregnancy
There are limited data from the use of aminoglycosides, including gentamicin, in pregnancy.
Gentamicin crosses the placenta, and there is a risk of ototoxicity (vestibulocochlear nerve damage) and/or renal damage in the fetus, as seen in animal studies (see section 5.3). Gentamicin should not be used in pregnancy, except in case of life-threatening situations where expected benefits outweigh possible risks.
In such cases, maternal serum gentamicin concentration monitoring is recommended (see section 4.2). Monitoring of the hearing and renal function of the infants is also recommended.
Breast-feeding
Gentamicin is excreted in human breast milk and was detected in low concentrations in the serum of breast-fed infants, except in cases where the mucous membrane of the infant's stomach and intestines is severely eroded.
In cases of suspected severe mucosal erosion, if the infant is breast-fed during gentamicin treatment, it is recommended to monitor the serum concentration of gentamicin in the infant (see section 4.2). Animal and human data suggest that if the serum gentamicin concentration in the infant exceeds 1 µg/ml either breast-feeding or the gentamicin therapy may need to be discontinued, under medical supervision.
The following effects of gentamicin on the infant's normal gastrointestinal flora are possible and it is recommended to monitor the infant for possible effects such as diarrhoea, candidiasis and bloody stools.
Caution is advised when driving and using machines in view of the possible undesired effects such as dizziness and vertigo.
The following CIOMS frequency rating is used, when applicable:
very common (≥1/10);
common (≥1/100 to <1/10);
uncommon (≥1/1000 to <1/100);
rare (≥1/10 000 to <1/1000);
very rare (<1/10 000),
not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).
Infections and infestations:
Not known: antibiotic-associated colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis), superinfection (caused by gentamicin-resistant bacteria)
Blood and lymphatic system disorders:
Not known: anaemia, blood dyscrasias
Immune system disorders:
Not known: hypersensitivity (see section 4.4), anaphylaxis/anaphylactic reaction (including anaphylactic shock)
Metabolism and nutrition disorders:
Not known: hypomagnesaemia on prolonged therapy
Psychiatric disorders:
Not known: depression, hallucinations, confusion
Nervous system disorders:
Not known: central neuropathy (including convulsions, lethargy, encephalopathy), peripheral neuropathy
Ear and labyrinth disorders:
Not known: vestibular damage, transitory hearing loss, irreversible hearing loss, deafness, particularly after exposure to ototoxic drugs or in the presence of renal dysfunction (see section 4.4).
Gastrointestinal disorders:
Very common: vomiting
Not known: stomatitis, nausea
Hepatobiliary disorders:
Not known: abnormal liver function, transaminases increased
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders:
Not known: Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrosis, rash, purpura, urticaria, pruritus
Renal and urinary disorders:
Very rare: acute renal failure, Fanconi-like syndrome in patients treated with a prolonged course of high dose
Not known: nephrotoxicity (usually reversible) has been reported.
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system, by the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis will aid removal from the blood but the former is probably more efficient.
Calcium salts given intravenously have been used to counter the neuromuscular blockade caused by gentamicin.
Ask anything about Gentamicin 40mg/ml Solution for Injection or Infusion. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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