An antibiotic used to treat an array of bacterial infections among adults was approved recently by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children.

Levaquin levofloxacin is part of the fluoroquinolone group of oral medications prescribed to treat acute bacterial sinusitis, acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, noscocomial pneumonia, community-acquired pneumonia, complicated skin and skin structure infections, mild to moderate uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections, chronic bacterial prostates, urinary tract infections and acute pyelonephritis caused by Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, which is an infection affecting the lower intestines of humans and highly associated with food poisonings in the United States. The drugLevaquin, which is manufactured by from pharmaceutical firm Ortho-McNeil, was approved in 1996, but the oral solution was introduced in 2004 and this was followed by a 750-milligrams (mg) five-day oral treatment becoming widely available in 2005, although the Levaquin is also available intravenously as well.

While Levaquin is prescribed for an array of bacterial infections, it has also been approved to treat the effects of airborne anthrax. It was also recently approved for the use by in treating children as an anti-bacterial component and as a treatment of anthrax contamination among children as well. The drug is absorbed quickly, particularly after oral consumption and is usually allotted in 500 mg to 750 mg doses.

According to manufacturers, individuals who have kidney disease, diabetes, spinal or brain cord conditions are highly recommended to avoid the drug as it could cause serious side eaffects including:

* slow absorption of in kidney disease patients

* blood level spikes and irregularities of in diabetes patients

* uncontrollable seizures among spinal and brain injury patients

Levaquin Side Effects

According to manufacturers, the most common adverse drug reactions Levaquin side effects that occurred in U.S. clinical trials of Levaquin included headache, nausea and diarrhea, constipation, dizziness and insomnia. Additionally, the list of side effects continues to grow and patients thatwith exude any of the following symptoms should stop taking the medication and seek medical assistance immediately:

* abdominal tenderness, cramping or severe pain

* confusion, hallucinations or psychosis

* diarrhea (which may be bloody)

* fever

* blisters, redness and swelling of the skin

* sensation of burning skin

* trembling or seizures

* vomiting

* easy bruising or bleeding

* jaundice

* numbness in limbs, tingling in fingers

* swelling, pain in legs/muscles

Recent studies have also suggested that individuals with preexisting conditions (previously mentioned) as well as individuals taking specific types of medicine may increase their risk of these Levaquin side effects causing severe medical trauma.

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