Drug Details

Gentamicin Sulfate

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Dec 16, 2024

Gentamicin Sulfate Drug Details

Generic Name:

Gentamicin sulfate

Common Brands:

Garamycin I.V. (brand name discontinued)

Availability:

Prescription only

Therapeutic Class:

Aminoglycoside antibiotics

Forms:

Injection solution

Administration:

Intramuscular and intravenous administration

Therapeutic Uses:

Serious bacterial infections, including:

Central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) infections
Urinary tract infections
Respiratory infections
Gastrointestinal infections
Skin, bone, and soft tissue infections, including burns

Controlled Status:

Not a controlled substance

Gentamicin Drug Class

Gentamicin (jen-ta-mye-sin) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic.

It is effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but is mainly used to treat serious infections caused by Gram-negative organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus species, Citrobacter species, and Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia species. Gentamicin is also effective against some Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus species.

Bacteria that are resistant to gentamicin include Streptococcus species, Enterococcus species, and anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides species and Clostridium species.

Aminoglycosides are also not effective against Salmonella and Shigella species.

Gentamicin Age Range

Gentamicin is approved for use in adults and children. This antibiotic should be used with caution in premature and newborn babies.

Gentamicin Sulfate Uses

Gentamicin Uses

Gentamicin is used to treat bacterial infections, including bacterial sepsis in newborns, bacterial septicemia, and serious bacterial infections of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), urinary tract infections, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, skin, bone and soft tissue infections, including burns.

Note: Gentamicin and other aminoglycosides are not used to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections unless the causative organism is susceptible to aminoglycosides and resistant to other antibiotics that are less toxic. Your healthcare provider will obtain a specimen for bacterial culture and sensitivity to find out which bacteria are causing your infection and whether they are susceptible to gentamicin.

There may be other uses of injection gentamicin, such as to treat plague, tularemia, pelvic inflammatory disease, and a sexually transmitted disease called donovanosis or granuloma inguinale—your health care professional can give you further drug information.

Gentamicin Mechanism of Action

Gentamicin binds to the ribosomes of susceptible bacteria and prevents bacterial ribosome recycling. In other words, aminoglycosides bind to the genetic material of the bacteria and prevent protein synthesis. The aminoglycoside inhibition of protein synthesis kills the bacteria that cause infections.

Gentamicin Doses

Gentamicin injection is available in the following dosage forms: 10 mg/mL and 40 mg/mL injection solution for intramuscular administration (injection into a muscle) and intravenous administration (injection into a vein). The dose is based on body weight and creatinine clearance.

The recommended dose for people with normal renal function is 3 mg/kg/day given in three divided doses every eight hours. People with life-threatening infections may receive gentamicin doses up to 5 mg/kg/day given in 3-4 divided doses. The dose is reduced to 3 mg/kg/day as soon as possible. Extended interval dosing is used for some serious infections.

Gentamicin Sulfate Directions

How To Use Gentamicin

Gentamicin sulfate comes as an injection solution for intramuscular or intravenous administration. You will receive this antibiotic in the hospital or your doctor will show you how to use injection gentamicin at home. When given by intravenous injection, the dose is delivered slowly over a period of 30 minutes to 2 hours.

You should start to feel better after taking gentamicin for a few days. Tell your doctor if your symptoms are no better or getting worse. Do not skip doses or stop taking gentamicin until you finish the prescribed course, even if you feel better and your symptoms are gone. Stopping treatment too soon can cause your infection to come back and become harder to treat in the future.

Missed dose: If you miss a dose of gentamicin, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose according to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose or extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Storage: Store gentamicin at room temperature (between 15-30° C or 59-86° F) away from moisture, heat, and direct light in its original container, tightly closed. Do not store medications in the bathroom where they can be exposed to moisture and heat. Keep all medications safely out of reach of children and pets.

Unused medicine: Throw away any unused or expired gentamicin by disposing of it in a way that children, other people, and pets cannot get to it. Do not throw gentamicin in the trash or flush it down the toilet. The best way to dispose of expired or unneeded gentamicin is through a drug take-back program or your local waste disposal company. Learn more about proper medication disposal.

NOTE: This sheet is a summary and may not contain all possible information. If you have questions about lisinopril, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.

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Gentamicin Sulfate Side Effects

Gentamicin Side Effects

Possible side effects of gentamicin are listed below. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects if they are severe or do not go away in a few days.

Pain at the injection site
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Reduced appetite
Fever
Headache
Unusual tiredness
Joint pain

Rarely, gentamicin can cause more serious side effects. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you develop:

Skin rash, hives, itching, peeling, or blistering skin
Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, and feet
Hoarseness
Difficulty breathing
Trouble swallowing

The above list may not include all the potential side effects of gentamicin. Contact your healthcare provider if your side effects are unusual or severe or they do not get better over time. You can also report unusual side effects to the Food and Drug Administration at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Gentamicin Overdose: In case of an overdose of gentamicin, call your doctor immediately. You can also call your local poison control center or the national poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 or emergency services if a person has collapsed, stopped responding, stopped breathing, or had a seizure.

Source: FDA

Gentamicin Sulfate Warnings

Gentamicin Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Gentamicin can cause or worsen health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other treatment options if you are at an increased risk of adverse effects from this antibiotic.

NEPHROTOXICITY: Treatment with aminoglycosides, including gentamicin, requires close monitoring due to the risk of nephrotoxicity (damage to the kidneys). Aminoglycoside antibiotics undergo renal clearance (they are removed from the body by the kidneys). The risk of toxic effects on the kidneys is higher in people with renal impairment (pre-existing kidney problems) and in those who receive high doses of gentamicin or are on long-term gentamicin therapy. Risk factors for toxic reactions also include the concurrent use of other drugs that are nephrotoxic, advanced age, and dehydration. Your doctor will carefully monitor your kidney function while you are on gentamicin.
NEUROTOXICITY AND OTOTOXICITY: Patients receiving gentamicin can develop irreversible ototoxicity (damage to the inner ear). This risk is higher in those with pre- existing kidney problems and those on high doses of gentamicin or a long treatment duration.
Gentamicin ototoxicity can cause the following symptoms: vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), roaring in the ears, and hearing loss. Your doctor may recommend a dosage adjustment or discontinuance of gentamicin if this occurs. Your healthcare provider may order serial audiograms (hearing tests) if you are deemed high-risk.
Other neurotoxicity manifestations of gentamicin may include numbness, tingling, muscle twitching, and seizures.
Your healthcare provider will measure serum concentrations of gentamicin to ensure adequate levels and to avoid potentially toxic levels. High gentamicin peak concentration is avoided for prolonged periods due to the risk of serious adverse effects. In people with an overdose or severe toxic reactions, hemodialysis is sometimes necessary to rapidly remove gentamicin from the blood.
There may be a genetic link to the risk of ototoxicity in a small number of people. Individuals with a certain variant of a gene can develop ototoxicity even when serum concentrations of aminoglycosides are in the recommended range. Tell your doctor if you have a family history of ototoxicity with aminoglycoside use.
RISKS DURING PREGNANCY: Aminoglycosides, including gentamicin, may cause harm to an unborn baby if used during pregnancy. Gentamicin passes across the placenta, and other medications in this drug class, such as streptomycin, have caused irreversible congenital deafness. While gentamicin sulfate has not been linked to these serious side effects, this and other aminoglycosides should be used with caution in pregnant women.
ALLERGIC REACTIONS: Gentamicin contains sodium metabisulfite and can trigger an allergic reaction in people with a sulfite allergy, including an asthmatic attack or a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. Seek emergency medical care if you develop a skin reaction, swelling or throat closing, trouble swallowing, or difficulty breathing after taking gentamicin.

Precautions Before Starting Gentamicin

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to gentamicin, any of the active or inactive ingredients in gentamicin injection solution, other aminoglycosides, sulfites, or any other medicines. Examples of other aminoglycoside antibiotics include kanamycin, amikacin, neomycin, streptomycin, paromomycin, and tobramycin.

Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of all your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible drug-drug interactions.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Gentamicin may not be safe for people with certain medical conditions such as kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and myasthenia gravis.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, plan to get pregnant soon, or are nursing an infant with breast milk.

Precautions During Use of Gentamicin

Keep all your medical and laboratory appointments while on gentamicin. This antibiotic is associated with an increased risk of kidney problems, nerve problems, and hearing loss. Your healthcare provider may want to order certain laboratory tests such as serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate to monitor kidney function, serum levels (drug concentration), as well as hearing tests.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while on gentamicin.

Tell all your doctors you are on gentamicin before any surgery, including dental procedures.

Gentamicin Drug Interactions

Certain drugs can affect gentamicin efficacy. Possible interactions with other drugs can increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Other potentially neurotoxic and/or nephrotoxic drugs that can interact with gentamicin and increase the risk of serious adverse effects, include:

Cisplatin
Antibiotics such as cephaloridine, amikacin, kanamycin, neomycin, colistin, paromomycin, polymyxin B, streptomycin, vancomycin, tobramycin, and viomycin
Diuretics (water pills) such as ethacrynic acid and furosemide

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription medications.

Gentamicin Sulfate Pros & Cons

Gentamicin Pros and Cons

pros header.svg

Gentamicin can effectively treat serious bacterial infections in many parts of the body.
There is a lower-cost generic version available.
It can be used in children, including babies.

cons header.svg

Gentamicin can cause serious damage to the kidneys and inner ears.
This antibiotic may not be safe for people with a history of sulfite allergy or allergy to other aminoglycosides.
Antibacterial agents such as gentamicin are only effective against susceptible bacteria. They do not treat viral infections.

Gentamicin Sulfate Pharmacist Tips

Gentamicin Tips from Pharmacists

Follow your doctor’s dosing instructions carefully if you are administering gentamicin at home. The length of your treatment will depend on the infection being treated. Do not stop taking gentamicin until your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well. Stopping treatment too soon may cause your infection to come back and be harder to treat in the future.
Seek immediate medical care if you develop any signs of ototoxicity, such as dizziness, ringing in the ears, or hearing loss.
Tell your doctor without delay if you develop any urinary symptoms or signs of kidney problems.
Keep all your medical and laboratory appointments while receiving gentamicin. Your doctor will want to order certain tests to monitor for serious side effects.
Antibacterial agents like gentamicin are not effective against viruses. Do not take antibiotics for viral infections such as the flu and common cold. This can result in antibiotic resistance.
Gentamicin may increase risk of serious harm to an unborn baby if used by a pregnant woman. Talk to your doctor about appropriate birth control while on this drug.

Gentamicin Sulfate Rx Savings Tips

Gentamicin Rx Savings Tips

Gentamicin is a generic medication and is available at significantly lower prices than the brand name. Brand name Garamycin I.V. (discontinued) and generic gentamicin contain the same medicine and are equally effective and safe. Like with most medications, the generic version offers better value. A BuzzRx gentamicin coupon can result in big savings on the generic form of the drug. With a BuzzRx discount card, savings card, or discount coupons, the medication could cost you a fraction of retail prices. Gentamicin may be under $10.50 for one eye dropper of the 5 ml / 0.3% dose at Walmart, Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS Pharmacy, and other participating pharmacies with a BuzzRx discount card or free coupon. For the biggest discounts on gentamicin, give the checkout clerk your BuzzRx gentamicin discount coupon when you drop off your prescriptions.

Lowest Price for Gentamicin

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$10.44

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Gentamicin Sulfate Common Questions

Common Questions about Gentamicin

Is gentamicin high-risk?

Gentamicin can cause serious side effects, including kidney damage and inner ear damage. This antibiotic is therefore reserved for serious bacterial infections that cannot be treated with other antibiotics that are less toxic.

Is gentamicin safe for kidneys?

Gentamicin is potentially nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys) and should be used with caution in people with reduced renal function (pre-existing kidney disease). It can also cause kidney problems in people with no history of kidney disease. Risk factors include older age and dehydration.

Is gentamicin a steroid?

No, gentamicin is not a steroid. It is an aminoglycoside antibiotic.

Can gentamicin treat UTI?

Gentamicin is not used to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) which can be treated with other less toxic antibiotics. However, it may be used to treat UTI if the causative bacterium is susceptible to gentamicin and resistant to other safer antibiotics.

Can people with a penicillin allergy take gentamicin?

Gentamicin is generally safe for people with a penicillin allergy. It is an aminoglycoside, which is a different type of antibiotic than penicillins.

What is the price of gentamicin without insurance?

Without insurance, gentamicin can be as high as $34.36, but with a free BuzzRx prescription discount coupon, you could pay as low as $10.44 for the most common version of this medication. Use the BuzzRx drug price look-up tool to find the lowest discounted price, and be sure to enter the correct dosage, form, and quantity for the most accurate pricing. While generics tend to have the best savings, you can also use your BuzzRx card and coupons to purchase brand-name versions. It never hurts to ask your pharmacist to try BuzzRx when filling or refilling any of your prescription drugs—whether you have insurance or not.

What is the price of gentamicin with insurance?

Ask your pharmacist or insurance provider for your copay price on gentamicin—Copay amounts vary depending on the type of insurance plan you have and if there is a deductible to reach before prescription drug coverage begins.

You could save up to 80% on your prescription medication with a free BuzzRx discount coupon for gentamicin. When using the BuzzRx lookup tool to find the price of your medicine, be sure to enter the correct dosage, form, and quantity to receive the most accurate discounted pricing. It never hurts to ask your pharmacist to try BuzzRx when filling or refilling any of your prescriptions—whether you have insurance or not.

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