Empiric starting dosing for vancomycin per the 2020 ASHP/IDSA/PIDS/SIDP consensus guideline. Loading dose: 20–25 mg/kg actual body weight (obesity cap 3000 mg). Maintenance dose: 15–20 mg/kg actual body weight every 8–12 h. Optional creatinine clearance (CrCl) input suggests an empiric dosing interval (≥90 → q8h, 50–89 → q12h, 30–49 → q18–24h, 10–29 → q24h, <10 → q24–48h). Optional measured trough is classified against the SECONDARY trough target of 15–20 mg/L. The 2020 guideline shifted the primary monitoring target to AUC₀₋₂₄/MIC = 400–600 mg·h/L (within first 24–48 h); trough-only monitoring is no longer recommended as primary. Derived from Rybak MJ et al., Am J Health-Syst Pharm 2020. Empiric start doses ONLY — individualize by AUC-guided Bayesian monitoring. Not medical advice.
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Tool usage guide
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Key facts
Category
Health
Input types
number
Output type
json
Sample coverage
4
API ready
Yes
Overview
This vancomycin empiric dosing calculator estimates a loading dose and maintenance dose from actual body weight, suggests an dosing interval from optional creatinine clearance (CrCl), and classifies an optional trough against the secondary 15–20 mg/L target. It follows the 2020 ASHP/IDSA consensus approach, which prioritizes AUC₀₋₂₄/MIC 400–600 mg·h/L for monitoring. It provides empiric starting doses only and is not medical advice.
When to use
Estimate an initial vancomycin loading dose from a patient’s actual body weight.
Calculate the empiric maintenance dose range and use CrCl to suggest a dosing interval.
Classify a measured trough while recognizing that AUC-guided monitoring is the primary target.
How it works
1Enter the patient’s actual body weight in kilograms.
2Optionally enter CrCl to receive an empiric interval suggestion based on renal function.
3Optionally enter a measured or target trough to classify it against the secondary 15–20 mg/L range.
4Review the loading dose, maintenance dose, interval suggestion, and AUC monitoring target in the JSON result.
Use cases
Pharmacists can estimate empiric loading and maintenance dose ranges before individualized therapeutic drug monitoring.
Clinicians can compare an optional trough result with the secondary 15–20 mg/L target.
Students and healthcare teams can review how actual body weight and CrCl affect an initial vancomycin regimen.
Examples
1. 75 kg patient with moderate renal function
Clinical pharmacist
Background
A pharmacist needs an empiric vancomycin starting estimate for a 75 kg patient with a CrCl of 80 mL/min.
Problem
Estimate the loading dose, maintenance dose, and suggested dosing interval.
How to use
Enter 75 for actual body weight and 80 for CrCl. Leave the trough blank if no measured value is available.
Actual body weight: 75 kg; CrCl: 80 mL/min
Outcome
The calculator returns a loading dose of 1500–1875 mg, a maintenance dose of 1125–1500 mg, and an empiric interval of every 12 hours. AUC₀₋₂₄/MIC 400–600 mg·h/L remains the primary monitoring target.
2. 120 kg patient with CrCl 55 and trough 17 mg/L
Therapeutic drug monitoring team
Background
A monitoring team reviews an obese 120 kg patient with CrCl of 55 mL/min and an available trough of 17 mg/L.
Problem
Estimate empiric doses and classify the measured trough against the secondary target.
How to use
Enter 120 for actual body weight, 55 for CrCl, and 17 for trough.
FAQ
What weight does the calculator use?
It uses actual body weight in kilograms for both loading and maintenance dose estimates.
How is the loading dose calculated?
The loading dose is 20–25 mg/kg of actual body weight, with a 3,000 mg cap for obesity.
How is the maintenance dose calculated?
The maintenance dose is 15–20 mg/kg of actual body weight.
What does the optional CrCl input do?
CrCl suggests an empiric interval: q8h for 90 or higher, q12h for 50–89, q18–24h for 30–49, q24h for 10–29, and q24–48h below 10 mL/min.
Is a trough of 15–20 mg/L the primary monitoring target?
No. The primary target is AUC₀₋₂₄/MIC 400–600 mg·h/L; a 15–20 mg/L trough is classified as a secondary target.
Actual body weight: 120 kg; CrCl: 55 mL/min; trough: 17 mg/L
Outcome
The calculator returns a loading dose of 2400–3000 mg, a maintenance dose of 1800–2400 mg, and an empiric interval of every 12 hours. The 17 mg/L trough is classified as therapeutic for the secondary target, while AUC-guided monitoring remains primary.