Levaquin is an antibiotic medication used treat infections such as pneumonia; chronic bronchitis; and sinus, urinary tract, kidney, and skin infections. Levaquin is in a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones.

Uses of Levaquin

Levaquin cures a variety of bacterial infections, including several types of sinus infection and pneumonia. Levaquin is also prescribed for flare-ups of chronic bronchitis, acute kidney infections, certain urinary infections, and mild to moderate skin infections. Levaquin is a member of the quinolone family of antibiotics.

Levaquin Directions

Levaquin comes as a tablet to take by mouth. Levaquin is usually taken once daily for 7-14 days. Treatment for some infections may take 6 weeks or longer. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Levaquin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Tablets should be taken with a full glass of water. Continue to take Levaquin even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Levaquin without talking to your doctor.

Levaquin Side Effects

Side effects of Levaquin may include: Abdominal pain, anxiety, bad taste, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, fungal infections, gas, general feeling of illness, headache, hives, indigestion, itching, lack of appetite, nausea, nervousness, rash, sleeplessness and sleep disorders, sweating, swelling, tremors, vaginal discharge, vaginal inflammation, vomiting, and yeast infection. If any of these symptoms occur, contact your physician. In rare cases, Levaquin has caused convulsions and other nervous disorders. If you develop any warning signs of a nervous reaction - ranging from restlessness and tremors to depression and hallucinations - stop taking this medication and call your doctor. Levaquin may cause dizziness or light-headedness. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you. Hypersensitivity to quinolone antibiotics can, in rare instances, lead to severe illnesses ranging from blood disorders to liver or kidney failure. The first sign of a developing problem is often a rash; so you should stop taking Levaquin and check with your doctor when any type of skin disorder appears. A case of diarrhea during Levaquin therapy could signal development of the potentially dangerous condition known as pseudomembranous colitis, an inflammation of the bowel. Call your doctor for treatment at the first sign of a problem. Stop taking Levaquin, avoid exercise, and call your doctor if you develop pain, inflammation, or a rupture in a tendon. Quinolone antibiotics have been known to cause tendon rupture during and after therapy. If you have a kidney condition, make sure the doctor is aware of it. Your dosage may need to be lowered.

Levaquin Precautions

Levaquin has been known to cause dangerous allergic reactions as soon as you take the first dose. Stop taking Levofloxacin and call your doctor immediately if you develop any of the following warning signs: Skin rash, hives, or any other skin reaction; Rapid heartbeat; Difficulty swallowing or breathing; Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

How much do you know about Levaquin?

Levofloxacin is a third generation fluoroquinolonone antibiotic, marketed and sold as Levaquin. The medication is available in many countries around the globe, being tested for safety and efficiency by various pharmaceutical companies. Levaquin is one of the strongest antibiotics of this group, surpassing Ofloxacin in efficiency. It works by inhibiting specific enzymes, having potent antibacterial properties for both gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

The broad spectrum of action is one of the main reasons why Levaquin is usually the first choice as treatment for bacterial infections. No matter if the patient suffers from pneumonic or urinary tract infection, the doctor does not have to wait for specific bacteria to be identified. Levaquin is administered until the microorganisms are identified, the treatment being changed afterwards. The doctor can choose to continue the treatment with Levaquin or switch to another antibiotic, with a narrow-spectrum of activity.

In the United States , Levaquin is the only medication of this group approved by the Food and Drug Administration Deparment for the treatment of nocosomial pneumonia. The bioavailability of the antibiotic is close to 99%, binding to a small extent to plasmatic proteins (25%). Levaquin is metabolized in the kidney, having a half life that varies between 6 and 8 hours. The drug is excreted through the urine.

Levaquin is active on the following gram positive bacteria: enterococcus and staphylococcus (aureus, pneumoniae and pyogenes). Infections caused by gram negative bacteria can be treated with Levaquin as well. The list of gram negative bacteria susceptible to this antibiotic treatment includes: klebsiella pneumoniae, pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, legionella, haemophilus influenza and campylobacter.

General recommendations of Levaquin include: inflammation of the sinuses caused by a bacterial infection, acute bronchitis episodes, nocosomial and community-acquired pneumonia, skin infections (including impetigo) and inflammation of the prostate. The usually administered dosage is of 750 mg per day, given for a period of 5 days. The antibiotic is available in three dosage forms: 250, 500 and 750 mg, depending on the patient and the medical condition he/she is suffering from. The medication should be taken with a full glass of water, on an empty stomach with one hour before or two hours after any meal. Levaquin is not indicated for those less than 18 years old. Those who suffer from epilepsy, kidney disease, long QT syndrome or brain tumors are not recommended to follow a treatment with Levaquin.

Just like other fluoroquinolonones, Levaquin is likely to cause a wide range of side-effects, depending on the dosage and the period of treatment followed. An increased number of patients reported tendon rupture, medical condition known as quinolonone induced tendinopathy. In many cases, the tendon rupture was produced long after the treatment was discontinued. Other side-effects include: nerve damage, nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia and panic attacks. QT intervals are prolonged on the EKG and patients offer describe paranoia or psychotic episodes.

Excessive doses of Levaquin can lead to severe perturbations of glucose serum levels. Studies performed on laboratory animals have shown that this antibiotic can harm unborn babies, influencing their body weight and leading to bone malformations. Levaquin is also excreted into the mother's milk, thus presenting harmful consequences to the baby. The medication is also likely to cause cardiovascular side-effects, including rapid and irregular heart beats, fainting, hypertension and myocardial infarction. Statistics have demonstrated that Levaquin interacts with the central nervous system as well, leading to vertigo, fatigue and paresthesia. Severe reactions are manifested through convulsions.

Gastrointestinal side-effects of Levaquin include oral infections (caused by Candida albicans), difficult swallowing, diarrhea, inflammation of the pancreas and perforation of the intestines. Acute blood disorders, including granulocytopenia and hemolytic anemia are also present. Laboratory tests performed on different patients have shown an increase of triglyceride serum levels, cholesterol and glucose. Hepatic enzymes are elevated, especially ALT, AST and LDH. Hematological modifications will be most likely to appear: increased eosinophils in the blood, abnormal lowering of white cell blood count and elevated levels of thrombocytes. At the level of the kidney, this antibiotic can cause an increase of creatinine. Levaquin is responsible for appearance of joint swelling and pain, rigidity and pain in the chest. Renal adverse reactions include: kidney inflammation, nephropathy, urinary retention or frequent urination, acidosis, hematuria and even renal failure.

When the treatment with Levaquin is followed for prolonged periods of time, patients experience respiratory symptoms. Difficult respiration, nose bleeding and pulmonary edema are just a few examples. There is also the possibility of bronchospasm and pulmonary embolism to appear. Allergic reactions affect commonly the skin, with pruritus, urticaria and flushing among the symptoms. The medication can cause photosensitivity associated with angioedema and high fever. Serious cases of anaphylactic reactions include dermatitis, vasculitis and subcutaneous bleeding. Long-term treatments can also lead to blurred vision, visual impairment, tinnitus and even hearing loss.