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Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Use is not recommended for infants, children, or teenagers. However, this medicine may be used in children to prevent anthrax after possible exposure.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of levofloxacin in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have tendon disorders and kidney, liver, or heart problems which may require caution in patients receiving levofloxacin.
Pregnancy
| Pregnancy Category | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| All Trimesters | C | Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. |
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Dronedarone
- Mesoridazine
- Thioridazine
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acarbose
- Acecainide
- Acetohexamide
- Ajmaline
- Alosetron
- Amiodarone
- Asenapine
- Azimilide
- Benfluorex
- Bretylium
- Chlorpromazine
- Chlorpropamide
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Droperidol
- Encainide
- Flecainide
- Fluconazole
- Gliclazide
- Glimepiride
- Glipizide
- Gliquidone
- Glyburide
- Guar Gum
- Haloperidol
- Ibutilide
- Iloperidone
- Insulin
- Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
- Insulin Glulisine
- Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
- Lapatinib
- Lidocaine
- Lumefantrine
- Metformin
- Methadone
- Mexiletine
- Miglitol
- Moricizine
- Nilotinib
- Perphenazine
- Pirmenol
- Prajmaline
- Procainamide
- Prochlorperazine
- Propafenone
- Quinidine
- Ranolazine
- Recainam
- Sematilide
- Sotalol
- Sunitinib
- Tedisamil
- Telavancin
- Tetrabenazine
- Theophylline
- Tocainide
- Tolazamide
- Tolbutamide
- Trifluoperazine
- Troglitazone
- Warfarin
- Ziprasidone
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Aluminum Carbonate, Basic
- Aluminum Hydroxide
- Aluminum Phosphate
- Betamethasone
- Calcium
- Corticotropin
- Cortisone
- Cosyntropin
- Deflazacort
- Dexamethasone
- Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
- Dihydroxyaluminum Sodium Carbonate
- Fludrocortisone
- Fluocortolone
- Hydrocortisone
- Iron
- Magaldrate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Magnesium Hydroxide
- Magnesium Oxide
- Magnesium Trisilicate
- Methylprednisolone
- Paramethasone
- Prednisolone
- Prednisone
- Triamcinolone
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Brain or spinal cord disease, including hardening of the arteries in the brain, or epilepsy or other seizures—Levofloxacin may increase the chance of convulsions (seizures) occurring and make these conditions worse.
- Diabetes or
- Diarrhea or
- Heart rhythm problems (e.g., prolonged QT interval) or
- Hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood), uncorrected—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse. .
- Kidney disease or
- Liver disease—Use with caution. Effects may be increased because of slower removal of levofloxacin from the body.
- Organ transplant (e.g., kidney, heart, or lung transplant) or
- Tendon disorder (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), history of—Use with caution. May increase the risk of tendon problems.
- Sensitivity of the skin to sunlight—Patients taking levofloxacin may have an increased risk of severe reactions to sunlight.
