Levofloxacin

General

  • Type: 3rd generation Fluoroquinolones
  • Dosage Forms: PO, IV, Inhaled
  • Common Trade Names: Levaquin

Adult Dosing

Indications by Disease

DiseaseDoseContext
Acute cystitis500mg QD x 14dUrethritis Concern
Acute diarrhea500mg PO once daily x 5 daysSalmonella
Acute diarrhea500mg PO once daily x 5 daysShigella
Acute diarrhea500mg PO once dailyYersinia
Bacterial conjunctivitis0.5% ophthalmic solution 1-2 drops every 2 hours for 2 days THEN every 6 hours for 5 daysBacterial Conjunctivitis, Topical
Corneal abrasion0.5% solution 2 drops ever 2 hours for 2 days THEN q6hrs for 5 daysContact Lens
Epididymitis500 mg orally once a day for 10 daysSTI + Enteric (MSM)
Erysipelas500mg PO/IV daily x 10 daysAlternative
Infectious tenosynovitis750 mg IV once dailyEmpiric
Peritonitis750mg IV once dailyPrimary
Peritonitis750mg IV once dailyAllergy/Prior exposure
Pneumonia (main)750 mg dailyOutpatient, Unhealthy
Pneumonia (main)750mg IV/PO once dailyInpatient, CAP Non-ICU
Pneumonia (main)750mg IVICU, Low Risk
Pneumonia (main)750mg IV dailyICU, Risk of Pseudomonas
Pneumonia (main)750mg IV q24hHAP, High Risk
Pneumonia (main)750mg IV q24hVAP, High Risk
Prostatitis500mg PO daily x 28 daysNon-STD/Chronic
Pyelonephritis750mg PO QD x7 daysOutpatient
Skin and soft tissue infectionsUncomplicated; 500mg PO/IV q24h x 7-10 days; Complicated; 750mg PO/IV q24h x 7-14 daysSkin infection

Pediatric Dosing

Indications by Disease

Special Populations

  • Pregnancy Rating: C
  • Lactation: Probably Safe
  • Renal Dosing
    • Adult
      • If usual dose is 750mg qd
        • CrCl 20-49: 750mg q48h
        • CrCl 10-19: 750mg x1 then 500mg q48h
        • CrCl <10: Not defined
        • HD/PD: No supplement
      • If usual dose is 500mg qd
        • CrCl 20-49: 500mg x1, then 250mg q24h
        • CrCl 10-19: 500mg x1, then 250mg q48h
        • CrCl <10: Not defined
        • HD/PD: No supplement
      • If usual dose is 250mg qd
        • CrCl 10-19: 250mg q48h
        • CrCl <10: Not defined
        • HD/PD: No supplement
    • Pediatric
      • CrCl 10-29: Give q24h
      • CrCl <10: Give q48h
      • HD/PD: No supplement
  • Hepatic Dosing: not defined

Contraindications

Adverse Reactions

Serious

Common

Pharmacology

  • Half-life: 6-8 h
  • Metabolism: CYP450
  • Excretion: Urine
  • Mechanism of Action: Bactericidal, inhibits DNA gyrase / Topoisomerase IV

Antibiotic Sensitivities[2]

Group Organism Sensitivity
Gram Positive Strep. Group A, B, C, G S
Strep. Pneumoniae S
Viridans strep S
Strep. anginosus gp S
Enterococcus faecalis S
Enterococcus faecium R
MSSA S
MRSA R
CA-MRSA I
Staph. Epidermidis S
C. jeikeium X1
L. monocytogenes S
Gram Negatives N. gonorrhoeae I
N. meningitidis S
Moraxella catarrhalis S
H. influenzae S
E. coli S
Klebsiella sp S
E. coli/Klebsiella ESBL+ S
E coli/Klebsiella KPC+ R
Enterobacter sp, AmpC neg S
Enterobacter sp, AmpC pos S
Serratia sp S
Serratia marcescens X1
Salmonella sp S
Shigella sp S
Proteus mirabilis S
Proteus vulgaris S
Providencia sp. S
Morganella sp. S
Citrobacter freundii S
Citrobacter diversus S
Citrobacter sp. S
Aeromonas sp S
Acinetobacter sp. I
Pseudomonas aeruginosa I
Burkholderia cepacia X1
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia I
Yersinia enterocolitica S
Francisella tularensis X1
Brucella sp. X1
Legionella sp. S
Pasteurella multocida S
Haemophilus ducreyi X1
Vibrio vulnificus X1
Misc Chlamydophila sp S
Mycoplasm pneumoniae S
Rickettsia sp X1
Mycobacterium avium X1
Anaerobes Actinomyces X1
Bacteroides fragilis R
Prevotella melaninogenica S
Clostridium difficile R
Clostridium (not difficile) S
Fusobacterium necrophorum X1
Peptostreptococcus sp. S

Key

  • S susceptible/sensitive (usually)
  • I intermediate (variably susceptible/resistant)
  • R resistant (or not effective clinically)
  • S+ synergistic with cell wall antibiotics
  • U sensitive for UTI only (non systemic infection)
  • X1 no data
  • X2 active in vitro, but not used clinically
  • X3 active in vitro, but not clinically effective for Group A strep pharyngitis or infections due to E. faecalis
  • X4 active in vitro, but not clinically effective for strep pneumonia

See Also

References

  1. ↑ FDA updates warnings for fluoroquinolone antibiotics on risks of mental health and low blood sugar adverse reactions. US Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm612995.htm. Updated July 10, 2018. Accessed Oct 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2014