Levofloxacin — Fluoroquinolone antibacterial. Study the mechanism, listed uses and warnings from the US label on one sourced card.
Generic name
Levofloxacin
Class
Fluoroquinolone antibacterial
Mechanism
Fluoroquinolone antibacterial active against designated susceptible bacteria.
Used for
Adult nosocomial or community-acquired pneumonia caused by the specified susceptible organisms; Adult complicated UTI; uncomplicated UTI only when no alternative treatment options exist; Adult acute bacterial sinusitis only when no alternative treatment options exist; Post-exposure inhalational anthrax and treatment/prophylaxis of plague in adults and children aged 6 months or older; pediatric formulation/weight restrictions apply
Common side effects
Nausea; Headache; Diarrhea; Insomnia; Dizziness
Boxed warning
Disabling and potentially irreversible tendon injury, peripheral neuropathy and CNS effects can occur together; discontinue immediately and avoid fluoroquinolones after these reactions. Avoid in known myasthenia gravis. Reserve uncomplicated UTI, acute bacterial sinusitis and acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis for patients without alternative treatment options.
Warnings
QT prolongation; Hepatotoxicity; C. difficile-associated diarrhea
Brand questions use only name pairings verified against the linked product source. Unverified pairings are withheld from these questions; the other study content remains available.
Label date: 20260901 · For learning, not clinical decisions. US label and brand information; always consult the current source.
Source snapshot checked: 2026-10-21. The source document and selected fields were compared. The complete card has not had an independent clinical review.
Mechanism: Inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II) and topoisomerase IV, disrupting processes required for bacterial DNA replication and maintenance.
On both cards: Common side effects — Nausea; Diarrhea · Warnings — QT prolongation; Hepatotoxicity; C. difficile-associated diarrhea
Only on the Ciprofloxacin card: Used for — UTIs due to specified susceptible bacteria in adults, and selected complicated UTI/pyelonephritis in children aged 1–17; acute uncomplicated cystitis use is reserved for patients without alternatives; Specified susceptible lower-respiratory infections in adults; acute chronic-bronchitis exacerbation use is reserved for patients without alternatives; Specified susceptible skin, bone and joint infections in adults; Post-exposure inhalational anthrax and source-specified plague treatment/prevention in adults and children · Common side effects — Abnormal liver function tests; Vomiting; Rash · Interactions — Tizanidine (contraindicated); Theophylline; Other CYP1A2 substrates
Mechanism: Fluoroquinolone that inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase, a topoisomerase needed for DNA replication, repair, and transcription.
On both cards: Common side effects — Dizziness
Only on the Ofloxacin (otic) card: Used for — Otitis externa from labeled susceptible bacteria in adults and children aged 6 months and older; Chronic suppurative otitis media from labeled susceptible bacteria with perforated tympanic membranes in patients aged 12 years and older; Acute otitis media from labeled susceptible bacteria in children aged 1 year and older with tympanostomy tubes · Common side effects — Application site reaction; Pruritus; Earache · Warnings — Hypersensitivity to quinolones (contraindicated)
Mechanism: Quinolone antimicrobial active against susceptible gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria causing eye infections.
Only on the Ofloxacin (ophthalmic) card: Used for — Bacterial conjunctivitis caused by listed susceptible organisms; safety and effectiveness below age 1 are not established; Bacterial corneal ulcers caused by listed susceptible organisms; safety and effectiveness below age 1 are not established · Common side effects — Transient ocular burning / discomfort; Stinging; Redness; Itching; Photophobia · Warnings — Hypersensitivity to quinolones (contraindicated) · Interactions — Theophylline (systemic quinolones); Caffeine (systemic quinolones); Warfarin (systemic quinolones)
An item counts as shared only when both cards use the same wording. If a card does not list an item, that is not a statement that the effect never occurs.
Boxed warnings on related cards
Ciprofloxacin: Fluoroquinolones can cause disabling, potentially irreversible tendon injury, peripheral neuropathy and CNS effects, sometimes together. They can worsen myasthenia gravis. The label calls for immediate discontinuation for these serious reactions and reserves selected uncomplicated infections for patients without alternative treatments.
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