Levofloxacindrug info

1 INDICATIONS & USAGE Levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibacterial indicated in adults (18 years of age and older) with infections caused by designated, susceptible bacteria and in pediatric patients where indicated.

Pneumonia: Nosocomial and Community Acquired

Skin and Skin Structure Infections (SSSI): Complicated and Uncomplicated

Chronic bacterial prostatitis

Inhalational Anthrax, Post-Exposure in adult and pediatric patients

Plague in adult and pediatric patients

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Complicated and Uncomplicated

Acute Pyelonephritis

Acute Bacterial Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis

Acute Bacterial Sinusitis Usage To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of levofloxacin and other antibacterial drugs, levofloxacin should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria.

1.1 Nosocomial

Pneumonia Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Adjunctive therapy should be used as clinically indicated. Where Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a documented or presumptive pathogen, combination therapy with an anti-pseudomonal β-lactam is recommended.

1.2 Community-Acquired

Pneumonia: 7 to 14 day Treatment Regimen Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae (including multi-drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae [MDRSP]), Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae. MDRSP isolates are isolates resistant to two or more of the following antibacterials: penicillin (MIC ≥2 mcg/mL), 2nd generation cephalosporins, e.g., cefuroxime, macrolides, tetracyclines and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

1.3 Community-Acquired

Pneumonia: 5-day Treatment Regimen Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae (excluding multi-drug-resistant isolates [MDRSP]), Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, or Chlamydophila pneumoniae.

1.4 Complicated

Skin and Skin Structure Infections Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Proteus mirabilis.

1.5 Uncomplicated

Skin and Skin Structure Infections Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections (mild to moderate) including abscesses, cellulitis, furuncles, impetigo, pyoderma, wound infections, due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pyogenes.

1.6 Chronic

Bacterial Prostatitis Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis due to Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, or methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus epidermidis.

1.7 Inhalational

Anthrax (Post-Exposure) Levofloxacin tablets are indicated for inhalational anthrax (post-exposure) to reduce the incidence or progression of disease following exposure to aerosolized Bacillus anthracis in adults and pediatric patients, 6 months of age and older. The effectiveness of levofloxacin tablets is based on plasma concentrations achieved in humans, a surrogate endpoint reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. Levofloxacin tablets have not been tested in humans for the post-exposure prevention of inhalation anthrax. The safety of levofloxacin tablets in adults for durations of therapy beyond 28 days or in pediatric patients for durations of therapy beyond 14 days has not been studied. Prolonged levofloxacin tablets therapy should only be used when the benefit outweighs the risk. 1.8 Plague Levofloxacin tablets are indicated for treatment of plague, including pneumonic and septicemic plague, due to Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) and prophylaxis for plague in adults and pediatric patients, 6 months of age and older. Efficacy studies of levofloxacin tablets could not be conducted in humans with plague for ethical and feasibility reasons. Therefore, approval of this indication was based on an efficacy study conducted in animals.

1.9 Complicated

Urinary Tract Infections: 5-day Treatment Regimen Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections due to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Proteus mirabilis.

1.10 Complicated

Urinary Tract Infections: 10-day Treatment Regimen Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (mild to moderate) due to Enterococcus faecalis, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

1.11 Acute Pyelonephritis: 5 or 10-day

Treatment Regimen Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of acute pyelonephritis caused by Escherichia coli, including cases with concurrent bacteremia.

1.12 Uncomplicated

Urinary Tract Infections Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (mild to moderate) due to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Because fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin tablets, have been associated with serious adverse reactions and for some patients uncomplicated urinary tract infection is self-limiting, reserve levofloxacin for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in patients who have no alternative treatment options.

1.13 Acute Bacterial

Exacerbation of Chronic Bronchitis Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, or Moraxella catarrhalis. Because fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin tablets, have been associated with serious adverse reactions and for some patients ABECB is self-limiting, reserve levofloxacin tablets for treatment of ABECB in patients who have no alternative treatment options.

1.14 Acute Bacterial

Sinusitis: 5-day and 10 to 14 day Treatment Regimens Levofloxacin tablets are indicated in adult patients for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Moraxella catarrhalis. Because fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin tablets, have been associated with serious adverse reactions and for some patients ABS is self-limiting, reserve levofloxacin tablets for treatment of ABS in patients who have no alternative treatment options. 1.15 Usage To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of levofloxacin tablets and other antibacterial drugs, levofloxacin tablets should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy. Culture and susceptibility testing Appropriate culture and susceptibility tests should be performed before treatment in order to isolate and identify organisms causing the infection and to determine their susceptibility to levofloxacin. Therapy with levofloxacin tablets may be initiated before results of these tests are known; once results become available, appropriate therapy should be selected. As with other drugs in this class, some isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa may develop resistance fairly rapidly during treatment with levofloxacin tablets. Culture and susceptibility testing performed periodically during therapy will provide information about the continued susceptibility of the pathogens to the antimicrobial agent and also the possible emergence of bacterial resistance.