Levofloxacin
Antibiotic / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Levofloxacin, sold under the brand name Levaquin among others, is an antibiotic medication.[5] It is used to treat a number of bacterial infections including acute bacterial sinusitis, pneumonia, H. pylori (in combination with other medications), urinary tract infections, Legionnaires' disease, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and some types of gastroenteritis.[5] Along with other antibiotics it may be used to treat tuberculosis, meningitis, or pelvic inflammatory disease.[5] Use is generally recommended only when other options are not available.[6] It is available by mouth, intravenously,[5] and in eye drop form.[7]
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Trade names | Levaquin, Iquix, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a697040 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, intravenous (IV), eye drops |
Drug class | Fluoroquinolone |
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Bioavailability | 99%[3] |
Protein binding | 31%[3] |
Metabolism | <5% desmethyl and N-oxide metabolites |
Elimination half-life | 6.9 hours[3] |
Excretion | Kidney, mostly unchanged (83%)[3] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.115.581 |
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Formula | C18H20FN3O4 |
Molar mass | 361.373 g·mol−1 |
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Density | 1.5±0.1[4] g/cm3 |
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Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and trouble sleeping.[5] Serious side effects may include tendon rupture, tendon inflammation, seizures, psychosis, and potentially permanent peripheral nerve damage.[5] Tendon damage may appear months after treatment is completed.[5] People may also sunburn more easily.[5] In people with myasthenia gravis, muscle weakness and breathing problems may worsen.[5] While use during pregnancy is not recommended, risk appears to be low.[8] The use of other medications in this class appear to be safe while breastfeeding; however, the safety of levofloxacin is unclear.[8] Levofloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone drug class.[8] It usually results in death of the bacteria.[5] It is the left-handed isomer of the medication ofloxacin.[8]
Levofloxacin was patented in 1985 and approved for medical use in the United States in 1996.[5][9] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[10] It is available as a generic medication.[5] In 2021, it was the 223rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1 million prescriptions.[11][12]