colistin vs vancomycin
Side-by-side comparison of colistin 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 monitor your kidney function closely while you are receiving these medications.
Coly-Mycin M
Vancocin
Cortisporin TC Otic is an ear drop medicine. It treats ear infections by killing bacteria and reducing inflammation.
Vancomycin is a strong antibiotic. It fights serious infections caused by certain bacteria.
This medicine treats outer ear infections caused by bacteria. It can also treat infections in mastoidectomy and fenestration cavities. The medicine works against bacteria that are sensitive to the antibiotics in it.
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.
Cortisporin TC Otic contains antibiotics that kill bacteria. It also has hydrocortisone, which reduces swelling and itching. Thonzonium bromide helps the medicine penetrate the ear tissues.
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.
No common side effects listed.
- • Flushing of the upper body ('red neck')
- • Pain or muscle spasm in the chest and back
- • Inflammation at the injection site
No adverse event reports.
- Acute Kidney Injury 4,178
- Pyrexia 3,513
- Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia And Systemic Symptoms 2,311
- Renal Failure 2,196
- Sepsis 2,060
Neomycin can sometimes cause skin sensitivity. This medicine may also cause hearing problems or kidney damage, but this is rare.
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.
It is not known if this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.
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.
How to Read This colistin vs vancomycin Comparison
colistin is classified in the Polymyxin Antibiotic 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, colistin has 0 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 drugs can be harmful to the kidneys, and using them at the same time increases the risk of kidney damage.. 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 colistin 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.