Levofloxacin: update and perspectives on one of the original 'respiratory quinolones'.
The fluoroquinolone class of antimicrobials has enjoyed enormous clinical and marketing success over the past 20 years. These drugs have proven to be extremely useful in a broad range of clinical indications including both common community-acquired as well as nosocomial bacterial infections. Levofloxacin (Levaquin, Tavanic), like ciprofloxacin (Cipro), has established an enviable record of safe and efficacious use, and in many ways has become the agent against which all of the newer fluoroquinolones are judged. New clinical indications in complicated skin and skin structure infections, nosocomial pneumonia and chronic bacterial prostatitis continue to expand the important role of this already versatile drug. In addition, the use of 'short-course, high-dose' therapies are being studied in indications, such as community-acquired pneumonia, in an effort to optimize the efficacy and convenience of the drug while minimizing the future development of resistance. As the use of levofloxacin continues to expand, future challenges will include the threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance and the availability of newer alternative agents, both newer fluoroquinolones as well as agents of other antibiotic classes.
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, School of Pharmacy, Campus Box C-238 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO 80262, USA. doug.fish@uchsc.edu.
Douglas N
DN
Fish
D000818:Animals; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
D015363:Quinolones; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin