amikacin vs metronidazole
Side-by-side comparison of amikacin and metronidazole Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Amikin
Flagyl
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights serious infections caused by certain types of bacteria.
Metronidazole is an antibiotic medicine. It fights bacteria and certain parasites in your body.
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.
Metronidazole treats infections like trichomoniasis, amebiasis, and certain anaerobic bacterial infections. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection. Amebiasis includes infections of the intestines and liver. Anaerobic bacteria cause infections inside the abdomen, on the skin, and in the female reproductive system.
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.
Metronidazole works by entering the bacteria or parasite and damaging its DNA. This damage stops the bacteria or parasite from growing and multiplying. Eventually, the infection is cleared.
No common side effects listed.
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Loss of appetite
- • Vomiting
- • Diarrhea
- Off Label Use 1,908
- Drug Ineffective 1,673
- Cough 1,620
- Dyspnoea 1,556
- Hospitalisation 1,360
- Drug Ineffective 5,469
- Nausea 4,691
- Diarrhoea 4,116
- Off Label Use 4,054
- Vomiting 3,283
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.
Metronidazole can cause cancer in mice and rats. Only use it for the conditions listed in this leaflet. Do not drink alcohol or use products with propylene glycol while taking this medicine, and for 3 days after.
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.
Do not take metronidazole during the first three months of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine.
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How to Read This amikacin vs metronidazole Comparison
amikacin is classified in the Aminoglycoside Antibiotic drug class, while metronidazole sits within the Nitroimidazole 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 metronidazole has 21,613. 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 metronidazole — 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.