Review of experience to date suggests that a subgroup of older patients with associated severe illness may tolerate diarrhea less well. When lincomycin injection is indicated in these patients, they should be carefully monitored for change in bowel frequency.
Lincomycin injection should be prescribed with caution in individuals with a history of gastrointestinal disease, particularly colitis.
Lincomycin injection should be used with caution in patients with a history of asthma or significant allergies.
Certain infections may require incision and drainage or other indicated surgical procedures in addition to antibacterial therapy.
The use of lincomycin injection may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms, particularly yeasts. Should superinfections occur, appropriate measures should be taken as indicated by the clinical situation. When patients with pre-existing
Candida infections require therapy with lincomycin injection, concomitant antifungal treatment should be given.
The serum half-life of lincomycin may be prolonged in patients with severe renal impairment compared to patients with normal renal function. In patients with hepatic impairment, serum half-life may be twofold longer than in patients with normal hepatic function.
Patients with severe renal impairment and/or hepatic impairment should be dosed with caution and serum lincomycin concentrations monitored during high-dose therapy. (see
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION)
Lincomycin MUST be diluted prior to intravenous infusion. For intravenous infusion, infuse over at least 60 minutes as directed in the
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Section. Do NOT administer as an intravenous bolus. Severe cardiopulmonary reactions have occurred at greater than the recommended concentration and rate.
Prescribing lincomycin injection in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria.