vanc

Medical abbreviation · Drug

vanc
Stands forVancomycin
CategoriesMedical

vanc stands for Vancomycin, a drug abbreviation.

Shorthand for vancomycin, a glycopeptide antibiotic used IV for MRSA and other serious gram-positive infections and orally for C. difficile colitis. In hospitals it is often called "vanc" or "vanco".

Example: Vanc 1,500 mg IV q12h; pharmacy to dose by AUC.

Usage notes

ISMP lists "IV vanc" as error-prone because it has been misread as Invanz, the brand name of ertapenem. Rapid infusion can cause flushing and itching, formerly called "red man syndrome" and now termed vancomycin infusion reaction. Oral vancomycin is not absorbed, so it works only inside the gut.

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Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.