amikacin vs piperacillin/tazobactam
Side-by-side comparison of amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
ZOSYN, which contains EDTA, is compatible with amikacin and gentamicin for simultaneous Y-site infusion in certain diluents and at specific concentrations.
Recommendation: Your healthcare provider should follow specific mixing instructions to ensure both medications remain safe and effective.
Amikin
Zosyn
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights serious infections caused by certain types of bacteria.
Zosyn is a combination of two medicines, piperacillin and tazobactam. It is an antibiotic that fights bacterial 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.
Zosyn treats several types of infections caused by bacteria. It can treat infections in the stomach area for adults and kids 2 months and older. It can also treat pneumonia that starts in the hospital for adults and kids 2 months and older. In adults, Zosyn can treat skin infections, infections in the female pelvis, and pneumonia that starts outside the hospital.
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.
Piperacillin kills bacteria. Tazobactam helps piperacillin work better by blocking enzymes that can break down piperacillin. This allows piperacillin to effectively fight the infection.
No common side effects listed.
- • Diarrhea
- • Constipation
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping
- Off Label Use 1,908
- Drug Ineffective 1,673
- Cough 1,620
- Dyspnoea 1,556
- Hospitalisation 1,360
- Drug Ineffective 1,390
- Off Label Use 988
- Acute Kidney Injury 915
- Pyrexia 869
- Thrombocytopenia 471
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.
Zosyn can cause severe allergic reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you have a rash or trouble breathing. Zosyn can also cause severe skin reactions, blood problems, seizures, kidney problems, and severe diarrhea. If you have any of these, contact your doctor immediately.
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 Zosyn will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using Zosyn during pregnancy. It is also not known if Zosyn passes into breast milk.
Also Compare — Nearby Drugs
Compare amikacin with
Compare piperacillin/tazobactam with
How to Read This amikacin vs piperacillin/tazobactam Comparison
amikacin is classified in the Aminoglycoside Antibiotic drug class, while piperacillin/tazobactam sits within the Penicillin / Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor 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 piperacillin/tazobactam has 4,633. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these two drugs can be given through the same iv line at the same time as long as they are mixed in specific liquids and at certain strengths.. 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 piperacillin/tazobactam — 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.