amphotericin B vs vancomycin
Side-by-side comparison of amphotericin B and vancomycin. 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
Monitor renal function in patients receiving vancomycin and concurrent and/or sequential systemic or topical use of other potentially, neurotoxic and/or nephrotoxic drugs, such as amphotericin B, aminoglycosides, bacitracin, polymyxin B, colistin, viomycin, or cisplatin.
Recommendation: Your doctor should check your kidney health often while you are using these drugs.
Ambisome, Fungizone
Vancocin
Amphotericin B liposome is an antifungal medicine. It fights serious fungal infections in your body.
Vancomycin is a strong antibiotic. It fights serious infections caused by certain bacteria.
This medicine treats fungal infections like aspergillosis, candidiasis, and cryptococcosis. It can also treat cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV. It may also be used for visceral leishmaniasis, but this infection can return, especially in those with weak immune systems.
Vancomycin treats serious infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to some other antibiotics. This includes infections like endocarditis (infection of the heart valves), septicemia (blood poisoning), bone infections, lung infections, and skin infections. It can also treat pseudomembranous colitis, a severe diarrhea caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the colon.
Amphotericin B liposome belongs to a class of drugs called polyene antifungals. It works by binding to the membrane of the fungal cells. This binding disrupts the fungal cell membrane, causing the cell to die.
Vancomycin works by stopping bacteria from building their cell walls. Without a cell wall, the bacteria cannot survive. This helps your body fight off the infection.
- • Abdominal pain
- • Weakness
- • Back pain
- • Chills
- • Pain
- • Flushing of the upper body ('red neck')
- • Pain or muscle spasm in the chest and back
- • Inflammation at the injection site
- Fever 974
- Condition got worse 842
- Fever with low white blood cell count 650
- Sudden kidney damage 625
- Blood infection 612
- Acute Kidney Injury 4,178
- Pyrexia 3,513
- Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia And Systemic Symptoms 2,311
- Renal Failure 2,196
- Sepsis 2,060
This medicine is not interchangeable with other amphotericin B products. Different versions of amphotericin B act differently in the body. Make sure you always get the correct medicine.
Rapid infusions of vancomycin can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, wheezing, trouble breathing, hives, or itching. Severe skin reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis have also been reported.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is not known if vancomycin will harm an unborn baby. Vancomycin passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you need to take this medicine.
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How to Read This amphotericin B vs vancomycin Comparison
amphotericin B is classified in the Polyene Antifungal drug class, while vancomycin sits within the Glycopeptide 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, amphotericin B has 3,703 submissions while vancomycin has 14,258. 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 both of these medicines can be harmful to the kidneys when used at the same time.. 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 amphotericin B and vancomycin - 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.