Levofloxacin

Warning

Fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin, have been associated with disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions that have occurred together, including tendinitis and tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathy, and central nervous system effects.

Contraindications

• Known hypersensitivity to levofloxacin or other quinolones

Adverse Reactions

• Nausea
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Constipation
• Dizziness

General Guidance

Adjust dose for patients with renal impairment

Pregnancy

• Levofloxacin should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus

Nursing Mothers

• Levofloxacin is excreted in human milk, and caution should be exercised when administering the drug to nursing women

Pediatric Use

• Levofloxacin is indicated in pediatric patients 6 months of age and older for inhalational anthrax and plague

Geriatric Use

• Geriatric patients are at increased risk for developing severe tendon disorders, including tendon rupture, when being treated with a fluoroquinolone such as levofloxacin