Daptomycin and MRSA

• Several new antibiotics are approved for the treatment of infections due to MRSA: linezolid, daptomycin, and tigecycline.
• Although most are familiar with linezolid, it seems that both daptomycin and tigecycline are being used more frequently.
• A few pearls on daptomycin:
  • administered IV once daily
  • dose needs to be adjusted in patients with renal failure
  • exerts its effect through a calcium-dependent binding to the bacterial membrane resulting in cell death
• Importantly, daptomycin is inactivated by pulmonary surfactant and therefore should not be given in patients with suspected MRSA pneumonia.

References

Stryjewski ME, Corey GR. New treatments for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Curr Opin Crit Care 2009;15:403-12.