Summary of ASHP/IDSA/SIDP vancomycin monitoring recommendations: a focus on osteomyelitis.

Vancomycin has been used extensively for the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections, especially in cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Despite long-term use, many uncertainties have remained regarding appropriate dosing, monitoring, and toxicity risks. In January 2009, a committee representing the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) released recommendations for vancomycin monitoring. As osteomyelitis patients are frequent recipients of vancomycin, this article provides a summary of the recommendations in reference to loading and maintenance doses, trough concentration monitoring, frequency of monitoring, and risk of toxicities.