Amantadine Tablets and Colistimethate Sodium

• Generic Name: amantadine
• Dosage Forms: tablet
• Other Brand Names: Gocovri, Osmolex ER, Symmetrel

Amantadine is an antiviral medicine that blocks the actions of viruses in your body.

Amantadine is used to treat or prevent influenza A in adults and children. Amantadine may not be effective during every flu season because certain strains of the virus may be resistant to amantadine. Amantadine should not be used in place of getting a yearly flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control recommends an annual flu shot to help protect you each year from new strains of influenza virus.

Amantadine is also used to treat Parkinson's disease and "Parkinson-like" symptoms such as stiffness or tremors, shaking, and repetitive uncontrolled muscle movements that may be caused by the use of certain drugs.

Amantadine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

• Generic Name: colistimethate
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Coly Mycin M

Treatment of acute or chronic infections caused by certain susceptible gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

Used only when the causative agent is susceptible and other more effective and less toxic anti-infectives are contraindicated or ineffective.

May be useful alone or in conjunction with other anti-infectives for treatment of infections caused by multiple-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria, such as respiratory tract infections in cystic fibrosis patients caused by multiple-drug resistant Ps. aeruginosa.

Not indicated for infections caused by Proteus or Neisseria.

Administered by oral inhalation via nebulization in adult and pediatric cystic fibrosis patients for early treatment of Ps. aeruginosa respiratory tract infections and for suppressive therapy in those colonized with Ps. aeruginosa.

Safety and efficacy not established and the drug is not labeled by FDA for administration via nebulization. Adverse respiratory effects (e.g., bronchoconstriction) have occurred with this route and there has been at least one fatality in a patient who self-administered a nebulizer treatment using a premixed solution of the drug. (See Respiratory Effects under Cautions.)