Avelox

Avelox is a prescription medication used to treat infections in adults caused by bacteria including pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, and skin infections.

Avelox belongs to a group of drugs called fluoroquinolone antibiotics, which help to kill bacteria in the body by inhibiting a bacterial enzyme called DNA-gyrase.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once a day, with or without food. This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. Do not drive until you know how this medication affects you.

Avelox is a prescription medication used to treat adults with infections caused by a variety of bacteria. This medicine has been used to treat pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus, skin, and abdominal (stomach area) infections. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take Avelox exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

The usual recommended dose of Avelox (moxifloxacin) is 400 mg taken by mouth once daily for 5 to 21 days (depending on the type of infection you have).

Oral/Injectable:

WARNING:

Fluoroquinolones, including Avelox, are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in all ages. This risk is further increased in older patients usually over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants.

Fluoroquinolones, including Avelox, may exacerbate muscle weakness in persons with myasthenia gravis. Avoid Avelox in patients with known history of myasthenia gravis.

• Avelox can cause side effects that may be serious or even cause death. If you get any of the following serious side effects, get medical help right away.
  • Pain, swelling, tears and inflammation of tendons including the back of the ankle (Achilles), shoulder, hand, or other tendinitis.
  • Worsening of myasthenia gravis (a disease which causes muscle weakness), worsening muscle weakness or breathing problems.
  • Peripheral neuropathy may occur. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience pain, burning, tingling, numbness, weakness, or a change in sensation to light touch, pain or temperature. These symptoms can occur early in treatment and may be permanent. It may be necessary to stop Avelox, but do not do so without first talking with your health care professional.
• Do not take Avelox if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to an antibiotic known as a fluoroquinolone (Cipro, Levaquin), or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Avelox. Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure.
• Avelox can make you feel dizzy and lightheaded. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do other activities that require mental alertness or coordination until you know how Avelox affects you. 
• Avoid sunlamps, tanning beds, and try to limit your time in the sun. Avelox can make your skin sensitive to the sun (photosensitivity) and the light from sunlamps and tanning beds. You could get severe sunburn, blisters or swelling of your skin.  You should use a sunscreen and wear a hat and clothes that cover your skin if you have to be in sunlight.

Avelox can cause side effects that may be serious or even cause death. 

Seizures have been reported in people who take fluoroquinolone antibiotics including Avelox.

Serious allergic reactions allergic reactions can happen in people taking Avelox. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction:

• hives
• trouble breathing or swallowing
• wwelling of the lips, tongue, face
• throat tightness, hoarseness
• rapid heartbeat
• faint
• rash

Serious heart rhythm changes (QT prolongation and torsade de pointes) may occur with Avelox use.

• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have a change in your heart beat (a fast or irregular heartbeat) like if your heart is racing or if you feel faint.
• This condition can cause an abnormal heartbeat and can be very dangerous.

The chances of this event are higher in people:

• who are elderly
• with a family history of prolonged QT interval
• with low blood potassium (hypokalemia)
• who take certain medicines to control heart rhythm (antiarrhythmics)

The most common side effects of Avelox include nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal and dietary supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• A blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• A medicine to control your heart rate or rhythm (antiarrhythmic)
• An anti-psychotic medicine such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
• Certain Medicines used to treat depression called tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptylline (Elavil) 
• Erythromycin
• A water pill (diuretic)
• A steroid medicine. Corticosteroids taken by mouth or by injection may increase the chance of tendon injury.

Take Avelox either 4 hours before or 8 hours after taking these products:

• An antacid, multivitamin, or other product that has magnesium, aluminum, iron, or zinc
• Sucralfate (Carafate)
• Didanosine (Videx, Videx EC) Ask your doctor if you are not sure if any of your medicines are listed above. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

This is not a complete list of Avelox drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Avelox passes into breast milk or if it will harm your baby.

Moxifloxacin and other fluoroquinolones may cause tendonitis or even tendon rupture especially when taken for extended periods of time.

Drink plenty of liquids while taking Moxifloxacin.

Do not skip any doses, or stop taking moxifloxacin even if you begin to feel better, until you finish your prescribed treatment.

Take moxifloxacin either 4 hours before or 8 hours after taking these products:

• An antacid, multivitamin, or other product that has magnesium, aluminum, iron, or zinc
• Sucralfate (Carafate)
• Didanosine (Videx, Videx EC) Ask your doctor if you are not sure if any of your medicines are listed above. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

Avoid sunlamps, tanning beds, and try to limit your time in the sun.

• Moxifloxacin can make your skin sensitive to the sun (photosensitivity) and the light from sunlamps and tanning beds.
• You could get severe sunburn, blisters or swelling of your skin.
• You should use a sunscreen and wear a hat and clothes that cover your skin if you have to be in sunlight.