Levofloxacin Krka
Levofloxacin Krka is an antibiotic that helps fight bacterial infections in various parts of the body.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
500 mg
Active Ingredient
Levofloxacin hemihydrate
Manufacturer
KRKA d.d. Novo mesto
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will tell you exactly how many tablets to take based on your infection. It is usually 250 mg or 500 mg.
Method
Swallow the tablet whole with water. You can take it with or without food. The tablet can be split in half if needed.
Important
Follow your doctor's instructions for the maximum daily dose. It usually ranges from 250 mg to 1000 mg per day.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Sleep problems
- •Headache, dizziness
- •Feeling sick (nausea, vomiting), diarrhea
- •Increase in some liver enzyme levels in blood
RARE
- •Severe allergic reaction with rash, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and swelling of lips, face, throat, or tongue
- •Bloody diarrhea, often with stomach cramps and high fever, which can be signs of severe bowel problems
- •Pain and inflammation in tendons or ligaments, potentially leading to rupture (most often in the Achilles tendon)
- •Seizures (fits)
- •Seeing or hearing things that are not real (hallucinations, paranoia)
- •Feeling depressed, mental health problems, restlessness (agitation), abnormal sleep or nightmares
- •Burning, tingling, or numbness, which can be signs of nerve damage (neuropathy)
- •Extensive skin rash, fever, elevated liver enzymes, abnormal blood counts (eosinophilia), enlarged lymph nodes, and effects on other organs (called DRESS or drug hypersensitivity syndrome)
- •Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), linked to reduced water excretion and low sodium levels in the blood
- •Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or low blood sugar leading to coma, which is especially important for diabetics
- •Changes in the number of other bacteria or fungi, such as a fungal infection called Candida, which may need treatment
- •Changes in white blood cell counts, which some blood tests can show (leukopenia, eosinophilia)
- •Feeling stressed (anxious), confused, nervous, sleepy, shaky, or dizzy (vertigo)
- •Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- •Changes in taste, loss of appetite, stomach upset or indigestion (dyspepsia), abdominal pain, bloating (flatulence), or constipation
- •Itching and rash, severe itching or hives (urticaria), or heavy sweating (hyperhidrosis)
- •Joint or muscle pain
- •Abnormal blood test results due to liver (increased bilirubin) or kidney (increased creatinine) function problems
- •General weakness
- •Bleeding or bruising easily due to low platelet count
- •Low white blood cell count (neutropenia)
- •Overactive immune response (hypersensitivity)
- •Tingling in hands or feet (paresthesia)
- •Ringing in ears (tinnitus) or blurred vision
- •Fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or low blood pressure (hypotension)
- •Muscle weakness, important for Myasthenia gravis patients
- •Memory loss
- •Changes in kidney function, sometimes kidney failure
- •Fever
- •Red patches with blisters on skin
- •Reduced number of red blood cells (anemia), making skin pale or yellow, and reduced number of all blood cells (pancytopenia)
- •Bone marrow failure, leading to fatigue, low infection resistance, and uncontrolled bleeding
- •Fever, sore throat, and general unwellness that doesn't go away, possibly due to a low white blood cell count (agranulocytosis)
- •Loss of circulation (anaphylactic shock)
- •High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or coma, which is especially important for diabetics
- •Changes in sense of smell, loss of smell or taste
- •Strong feelings of excitement, joy, restlessness, or enthusiasm (mania)
- •Problems with movement or walking (dyskinesia, extrapyramidal disorders)
- •Fainting (syncope)
- •Temporary loss of vision, eye inflammation
- •Hearing loss or reduced hearing
- •Unusually fast heartbeat, life-threatening irregular heartbeat, including cardiac arrest, and changes in heart rhythm (prolonged QT interval seen on ECG)
- •Breathing difficulties or wheezing (bronchospasm)
- •Allergic lung reactions
- •Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- •Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
- •Increased skin sensitivity to sun and UV light, and darker skin areas (hyperpigmentation)
- •Inflammation of blood vessels due to an allergic reaction (vasculitis)
- •Mouth inflammation (stomatitis)
- •Muscle tears and muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
- •Red and swollen joints (arthritis)
- •Pain, including back, chest, and limb pain
- •Sudden involuntary twitching, muscle twitching, or muscle contractions (myoclonus)
- •Porphyria attacks in people who already have porphyria (a very rare metabolic disease)
- •Persistent headache with or without blurred vision (benign intracranial hypertension)
Important Warnings
- Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to levofloxacin, other quinolone antibiotics, or any other ingredients listed in the leaflet.
- Stop taking and contact your doctor immediately if you feel sudden pain or swelling in your joints or tendons (e.g., in your ankle, wrist, elbow, shoulder, or knee).
- Stop taking and tell your doctor right away if you feel pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness, especially in your hands and feet, as these could be signs of nerve damage.
- Seek emergency medical help immediately if you feel sudden, severe pain in your stomach, chest, or back, as these could be signs of a serious problem with your aorta.
- Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Show 2 more warnings
- Protect your skin from direct sunlight and avoid sunbeds during treatment and for 2 days after, as this medicine makes your skin very sensitive to the sun.
- This medicine can cause dizziness, sleepiness, or vision changes. If you experience these, do not drive or operate heavy machinery.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category D
Avoid use in older adults. Risk of QT prolongation. Reduce the dose and/or increase the dosing interval in moderately severe renal impairment. Calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and aluminium reduce absorption. Increases the risk of tendinitis and aortic injury and valvular heart disease. Consider central nervous system adverse effects, especially lowered seizure threshold and confusion. (updated 4.12.2023)