Levofloxacin Injection (patient information)

About your treatment

Your doctor has ordered levofloxacin, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for at least 60 minutes, once a day.

Levofloxacin eliminates bacteria that cause many infections, including skin, respiratory tract, and urinary tract infections. It also kills bacteria that cause many venereal diseases. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking levofloxacin. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Precautions

Before administering levofloxacin:

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cinoxacin (Cinobac), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), erythromycin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), nalidixic acid (NegGram), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially other antibiotics; anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin); aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn); cancer chemotherapy agents; cimetidine (Tagamet); cisapride (Propulsid); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); medications for irregular heartbeats such as amiodarone (Cordarone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), procainamide (Procanbid, Pronestyl), quinidine (Quinidex), and sotalol (Betapace, Betapace AF); oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Deltasone); phenytoin (Dilantin); pimozide (Orap); probenecid (Benemid); theophylline (Theo-Dur); thioridazine (Mellaril); and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease, seizures, colitis, stomach problems, vision problems, heart disease, or a history of stroke.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking levofloxacin, call your doctor immediately.
• you should know that this drug may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and tiredness. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how levofloxacin affects you.
• plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Levofloxacin may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
• keep in mind that it causes increased or decreased blood sugar in patients taking antidiabetes medications or insulin. Careful monitoring of blood glucose is advised. If you experience a significant drop in blood glucose, stop taking levofloxacin and call your doctor.

Administering your medication

Before you administer levofloxacin, look at the solution closely. It should be clear and free of floating material. Gently squeeze the bag or observe the solution container to make sure there are no leaks. Do not use the solution if it is discolored, if it contains particles, or if the bag or container leaks. Use a new solution, but show the damaged one to your health care provider.

It is important that you use your medication exactly as directed. Do not stop your therapy on your own for any reason because your infection could worsen and result in hospitalization. Do not change your dosing schedule without talking to your health care provider. Your health care provider may tell you to stop your infusion if you have a mechanical problem (such as a blockage in the tubing, needle, or catheter); if you have to stop an infusion, call your health care provider immediately so your therapy can continue.

Side effects

Minor side effects

Levofloxacin may cause side effects. Tell your health care provider if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• upset stomach
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• stomach pain
• headache
• restlessness

Severe side effects

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your health care provider immediately:

• skin rash
• itching
• hives
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• swelling of the face or throat
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• dark urine
• pale or dark stools
• blood in urine
• pain, inflammation, or rupture of a tendon
• seizures
• rapid, irregular, or pounding heartbeats

Storing your medication

Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of levofloxacin at a time. If you are receiving levofloxacin intravenously (in your vein), you probably will be told to store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Take your next dose from the refrigerator 1 hour before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature. If you are told to store additional levofloxacin in the freezer, always move a 24-hour supply to the refrigerator for the next day's use. Do not refreeze medications.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection

If you are receiving levofloxacin in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

Brand names

• Levaquin® in Dextrose Injection Premix