Introduction to the Antibiotic Levofloxacin
Levofloxacin (generic) or Levaquin (the brand name) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections. This means that this antibiotic and many others kill bacteria. Levofloxacin, a potent antibiotic, is available in oral tablets, oral liquid solutions, eye drops, and via injection or IV and is not appropriate for individuals under the age of 18-years.
It takes this antibiotic about two hours to enter the bloodstream and start the healing process. However, it also requires about three days before the patient starts showing a decrease in illness signs and symptoms. No matter how well the patient feels with possibly no further signs and symptoms, they need to continue the drug until it is gone.
Antibiotics Do Not Treat Viruses Effectively
Many individuals do not understand and still wonder what all the hype is when it comes to antibiotic use. The medical arena expresses that antibiotic therapy does not treat viruses, only bacterial infections. For example, two patients have pneumonia. Both patients display the same signs and symptoms and are seriously ill. The doctor must determine if their pneumonia is bacterial or viral because there are different treatment options for each. The patient fighting viral pneumonia absolutely gets treated, but with a different class of medications. The doctor likely orders the patient fighting bacterial pneumonia a course of antibiotics.
Through the years, individuals who fought a virus demanded an antibiotic. Antibiotics such as penicillin, one of the first miracle cures, were given for anything and everything.
In the early days of antibiotic therapy, most traditional old-time doctors were simply not aware of the ramifications of treating patients with so many antibiotics. The public continued to demand antibiotics for even superficial and uncomplicated infections that would otherwise clear up naturally. This demand escalated to the point that many individuals built up a tolerance to antibiotics. Building up a tolerance means that if you have a severe bacterial infection one day, the antibiotic may not help. This dilemma, caused by the doctor’s overuse of antibiotics, is also partly the fault of society and their demands to be treated with an antibiotic for every illness they encountered, including a common sore throat.
Levofloxacin and any other many antibiotics require a doctor’s prescription and are often ordered as an effective treatment in combating,
- Acute Sinusitis
- Bacterial Conjunctivitis
- Bacterial Corneal Ulcers
- Acute Bacterial Sinusitis
- Skin infections
- Kidney infections
- Bladder Infections
- Prostate
- UTI, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, some respiratory infections only when other medications do not work
- Anthrax prevention
- MRSA
- Gram-negative bacteria
Medical research regarding medications has come far over the years to save lives and decrease disease and illness. However, all medicines have side effects, some serious and others not so much. Levaquin is no different.
Medication side effects list the more common side effects to any side effects that are less commonly experienced. If you take other medications and short-term Levaquin, it may be more challenging to determine which medication is causing the side effects. When side effects of Levaquin occur, you need to let your doctor know.
Side Effects
The doctor must look at a patient’s medical history and current conditions. If the patient has kidney, liver, heart issues, seizure history, or diabetes, they are at a higher risk for the side effects of Levofloxacin.
Everyone reacts differently to everything in life, such as foods, allergies, drugs, the environment, and more. Everyone also responds differently to treatments such as Levofloxacin. One individual may not display any side effects to this antibiotic, yet someone else can react to this antibiotic and display one or several of the side effects listed.
Common Side Effects
The more common side effects of taking Levofloxacin could include abdomen pain, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, and headaches.
Severe and Less Common Side Effects
- Tendonitis/Ruptured Tendons in 60 plus individuals, steroid users, organ transplant recipients
- Nerve pain in the fingers and toes
- Psychosis, Convulsions, Hallucinations can become irreversible.
- Affects blood glucose levels
- Diarrhea leading to C-Diff Toxin occurring up to two months after taking this antibiotic
- Photosensitivity reactions
- Severe sunburn
- Muscle weakness
- Possible liver damage
- Possible heart irregularities
- This antibiotic is not routinely given to individuals with some heart issues, nor is it given to children.
- This antibiotic can interact with antacids that contain zinc or iron but is alright taken if administered two hours before or two hours after zinc or iron.
Levaquin Tips
- Take this antibiotic with or without food, one hour before or two hours after eating.
- Take this antibiotic until gone, and as directed, unless side effects arise, it is necessary to let your doctor know and seek advice.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid urine crystals.
- Do not drive or operate machinery as this medication can cause dizziness.
- Avoid alcohol consumption
The Relationship Between Levaquin and as a Treatment for COVID-19
The COVID-19 virus is not a new virus. The COVID-19 virus has been around in society for years. The problem is that this virus has mutated into different forms of this virus.
According to the CDC, antibiotics do not treat viruses, only bacterial infections. When COVID-19 hit the world and was found to be a growing threat as a severe respiratory illness for millions of people worldwide, medical researchers sought treatment forms from our existing antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral storehouses.
Levaquin is a derivative of quinoline or chloroquine. Medical researchers believe that Levaquin could offer antiviral actions against COVID-19. Researches find that these fluoroquinolones, in addition to ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin, may help to stop this virus. The reasoning behind this theory is that these drugs continue to be the first line of defense for community-acquired pneumonia. The COVID-19 virus attacks the lungs to the point that the patient develops severe complications, i.e., pneumonia.
Levaquin proved to sustain a higher concentration in the lungs where COVID-19 habitats. Thus, Levaquin showed positive, favorable, and increased safety in treating SARS-CoV-2 and the secondary issues involving pneumonia stemming from the COVID-19 virus.
In addition to medical researchers being fast-tracked to find vaccinations for fighting COVID-19, they must discover correlations of specific treatments that start an immediate healing process for those COVID-19 victims fighting severe bacterial pneumonia complications from the COVID-19 virus.
When push comes to shove, and there is no other option, doctors will use all approaches that promise to fight the side effects of COVID-19.
In Conclusion
The CDC has a massive responsibility to bring to doctors everywhere concise, proven, and science-based medical information, so they can offer a higher standard of medical care for their patients. This information includes the latest and most incredible strides in their efforts to stop COVID-19. Doctors have a responsibility to educate their patients and pass on to them the standards and recommendations as set by the CDC and world health organizations working toward the same goal of quality healthcare for everyone. If you or a beloved family member was injured or succumbed to accidental death due to the negligence of another person please give us a call today at Neale & Fhima LLP, 880-680-8551, so we can talk about your case.
