amikacin vs linezolid
Side-by-side comparison of amikacin and linezolid Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights serious infections caused by certain types of bacteria.
Linezolid is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body. It is used to treat different types of infections.
Amikacin treats serious infections caused by bacteria. This includes infections in the blood, lungs, bones, joints, brain, skin, and abdomen. It can also treat burns, post-surgery infections, and complicated urinary tract infections.
Linezolid treats pneumonia, skin infections, and infections caused by certain drug-resistant bacteria. It can treat pneumonia that you get in the hospital or in the community. It also treats complicated and uncomplicated skin infections, including diabetic foot infections. Linezolid can also treat infections caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
Amikacin belongs to a class of drugs called aminoglycosides. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Linezolid works by stopping the growth of bacteria. It blocks bacteria from making proteins that they need to live and multiply. This helps your body fight off the infection.
No common side effects listed.
- • Diarrhea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Nausea
- • Anemia
- Off Label Use 1,908
- Drug Ineffective 1,673
- Cough 1,620
- Dyspnoea 1,556
- Hospitalisation 1,360
- Off Label Use 2,427
- Thrombocytopenia 2,032
- Drug Ineffective 1,992
- Anaemia 1,601
- Drug Interaction 1,381
Amikacin can potentially cause hearing loss and kidney damage. Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems or are taking other medicines that can affect your hearing or kidneys. Your doctor should closely monitor you for hearing and kidney problems during treatment. This drug can also cause muscle weakness or breathing problems, especially if you are also taking anesthesia or certain muscle relaxants.
Linezolid can cause several serious side effects. It can lower your blood cell counts, so your doctor will monitor your blood. It can also cause nerve problems, especially if you take it for more than 28 days. Tell your doctor right away if you have vision changes, numbness, or tingling. Linezolid can also interact with certain antidepressants and cause a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome. Diarrhea can also occur.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Amikacin may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if amikacin passes into breast milk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if linezolid will harm your unborn baby. It can pass into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding.
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How to Read This amikacin vs linezolid Comparison
amikacin is classified in the Aminoglycoside Antibiotic drug class, while linezolid sits within the Oxazolidinone Antibiotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amikacin has 8,117 submissions while linezolid has 9,433. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between amikacin and linezolid — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.