About your treatment    

Your doctor has ordered quinupristin and dalfopristin, a streptogramin antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The medication will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 60 minutes two or three times a day.

Quinupristin and dalfopristin eliminates bacteria that cause serious infections, including infections of the blood and skin. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Storing your medication    

• Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of quinupristin and dalfopristin at a time. You probably will be told to store it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.
• Take your next dose from the refrigerator 1 hour before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose    

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection    

If you are receiving quinupristin and dalfopristin in your vein, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

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