Informational only — Not medical advice. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider.

Community data Updated 23 hours ago

Indications

Colistimethate Sodium is used to treat acute or chronic infections caused by sensitive strains of certain gram-negative bacilli. It is particularly indicated for infection caused by sensitive strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is not indicated for infections due to Proteus or Neisseria. Colistimethate Sodium works very well against infections caused by these gram-negative organisms: Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.

Pharmacology

Colistimethate is a surface active agent. It penetrates the bacterial cell membrane and disrupts it. The molecule is polycationic and has both hydrophobic and lipophilic moieties, and it interacts with the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane and changes its permeability. This action is bactericidal. There is also evidence that polymyxins enter the cell and precipitate cytoplasmic components, mainly the ribosomes.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

No adequate and well-controlled studies have looked at the use of Colistimethate in pregnant women. Colistimethate crosses the placental barrier in humans, so it should be used during pregnancy only if the likely benefit justifies the possible risk to the fetus. It isn't known whether Colistimethate passes into human breast milk. For that reason, take care when giving it to nursing women.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: The usual maintenance dose of colistimethate sodium is 9 MIU a day, given in 2 to 3 divided doses. If the patient is critically ill, a loading dose of 9 MIU should be given. Renal impairment Patients with renal impairment need their dose adjusted. A reduced dose is recommended when creatinine clearance is below 50 ml/min, and the daily dose should be given twice daily. Creatinine clearance <50-30 ml/min: daily dose 5.5-7.5 MIU Creatinine clearance <30-10 ml/min: daily dose 4.5-5.5 MIU Creatinine clearance <10 ml/min: daily dose 3.5 MIU Haemodialysis (HD) patients On days without HD, the dose is 2.25 MIU/day (2.2-2.3 MIU/day). On HD days it is 3 MIU/day, and this should be given after the HD session. Twice daily dosing is recommended here too. Pediatric population Base the dose on lean body weight. For children up to 40 kg, the dose is 75,000-150,000 IU/kg/day, divided into 3 doses. For children over 40 kg, more than 150,000 IU/kg/day has been reported in children with cystic fibrosis. Hepatic impairment There are no data in patients with hepatic impairment, so take caution when giving colistimethate sodium to these patients.

Side Effects & Interactions

Side Effects

No side-effect data recorded yet.