Levaquin
Levaquin, also known as it’s generic name levofloxacin, is an antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infections. Bacterial infections are infections that can grow and multiply at varying speeds and cause varying degrees of illness, medicines like levaquin are used to combat these bacterial infections by stopping them from multiplying and reproducing as well as stopping them from repairing themselves. Levaquin is in a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones along with a few other medications (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, trovafloxacin, and lomefloxacin) and was approved by the food and drug administration in 1996.
Levaquin is mainly used for infections in the sinuses, the skin, the lungs, the ears, the airways, the bones and the joints caused by bacteria. Among those just listed there are also several other uses for levaquin, some of these uses are as follows. Frequent use in the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI) including those that are resistant to other types of antibiotics. The treatment of infectious diarrhea caused by such things as the E. coli virus. Levaquin has also been used in the treatment of obstetric infections.
Levaquin comes in 250 mg, 500 mg, and 750 mg tablets and is most commonly taken once a day. Levaquin should not be taken within 2 hours, before or after, the consumption of antacids or some vitamins that contain iron, calcium, zinc, or magnesium. The reasoning is that such minerals have been known to attach to the levaquin and prevent it from getting into your blood stream, which would render it useless.
As with most medicines there is a chance of having side effects from levaquin. Side effects can consist of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and constipation. Side effects that are less common consist of insomnia, abdominal pain, rash, itching and abdominal gas. If side effects come about you should contact your prescribing physician.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
