ABSTRACT
Trade names: Levaquin (Ortho-McNeil), Quixin (Johnson & Johnson), Tavanic (Sanofi-Aventis) Indications: Various infections caused by susceptible organisms, inhalational anthrax (post exposure) Class: Antibiotic, fluoroquinolone Half-life: 6-8 hours Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with: alfuzosin, aminophylline, amiodarone, antacids, antidiabetics, arsenic, artemether / lumefantrine, BCG vaccine, chloroquine, ciprofloxacin, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, didanosine, dronedarone, gadobutrol, insulin, lanthanum, mycophenolate, nilotinib, NSAIDs, oral iron, oral typhoid vaccine, phenindione, pimozide, probenecid, QT prolonging agents, quinine, strontium ranelate, sucralfate, sulfonylureas, tetrabenazine, thioridazine, vitamin K antagonists, warfarin, zinc, ziprasidone, zolmitriptan Pregnancy category: C Note: Fluoroquinolones are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in all ages. This risk is further increased in older patients usually over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants. Fluoroquinolones may exacerbate muscle weakness in persons with myasthenia gravis.
