New insights in the treatment by levofloxacin.
Levofloxacin is widely regarded as one of the most important fluoroquinolones available today. It possesses excellent activity against a wide range of important pathogens, including those resistant to many other antimicrobials. While rates of resistance to other previously useful antimicrobial classes has grown, levofloxacin has maintained its efficacy, with generally very low rates of resistance around the world. It is indicated for a wide range of infections including community-acquired respiratory infections in adults, particularly community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB), and acute sinusitis. In addition, it is recommended for infections of skin and soft tissue, and the urinary tract. With postmarketing surveillance data available for the last decade, levofloxacin possesses an unparalleled database to demonstrate its clinical efficacy and safety. Remarkably, levofloxacin continues to expand its list of indications. The development of a new high-dose 750-mg schedule has the potential to decrease the duration of treatment as well as reduce the emergence of resistance.
File
Thomas M
TM
Infectious Disease Service, Summa Health System, Akron, Ohio 44304, USA. FileT@summa-health.org
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin