Levofloxacin 500mg Film-Coated Tablets
Package leaflet: information for the user
Levofloxacin 500 mg film-coated tablets levofloxacin
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What is in this leaflet
1. What Levofloxacin 500 mg is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Levofloxacin 500 mg
3. How to take Levofloxacin 500 mg
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Levofloxacin 500 mg
6. Contents of the pack and other information
1. What Levofloxacin 500 mg is and what it is used for
The name of your medicine is Levofloxacin 500 mg film-coated tablets. Levofloxacin belongs to a group of medicines called antibiotics. Levofloxacin is a “quinolone” antibiotic. It works by killing the bacteria that cause infections in your body.
Levofloxacin 500 mg is used to treat infections of the:
• Sinuses
• Lungs in people with long-term breathing problems or pneumonia
• Urinary tract, including your kidneys or bladder
• Prostate gland, where you have a long lasting infections
• Skin and underneath the skin, including muscles. This is sometimes called “soft tissue”
In some special situations, levofloxacin may be used to lessen the chances of getting a pulmonary disease named anthrax or worsening of the disease after you are exposed to the bacteria causing anthrax.
2. What you need to know before you take Levofloxacin 500 mg Do not take this medicine and tell your doctor if:
• You are allergic to levofloxacin, any other quinolone antibiotic such as moxifloxacin ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6) Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue
• You have ever had epilepsy
• You have ever had a problem with your tendons such as tendinitis that was related to treatment with a “quinolone antibiotic”. A tendon is a cord that joins your muscle to your skeleton.
• You are a child or a growing teenager
• You are pregnant might become pregnant or think you may be pregnant
• You are breast-feeding
Do not take this medicine if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Levofloxacin 500 mg.
Warnings and precautions:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking your medicine if:
• You are 60 years of age or older
• You are using corticosteroids, sometimes called steroids (see section “Other medicines and Levofloxacin 500 mg)
• You have ever had a fit (seizure)
• You have had damage to your brain due to a stroke or other brain injury
• You have kidney problems
• You have something known as “glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency”. You are more likely to have serious problems with your blood when taking this medicine
• You have ever had mental health problems
• You have ever had heart problems: caution should be taken when using this kind of medicine, if you were born with or have family history of prolonged QT interval (seen on ECG, electrical recording of the heart), have salt imbalance in the blood (especially low level of potassium or magnesium in the blood), have a very slow heart rhythm (called “bradycardia), have a weak heart (heart failure), have a history of heart attack (myocardial infarction), you are female or elderly or you are taking other medicines that result in abnormal ECG changes (see section “Other medicines and Levofloxacin 500 mg”)
• You are diabetic
• You have ever had liver problems
• You have myasthenia gravis
If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacists before taking this medicine.
Other medicines and Levofloxacin 500 mg
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This is because Levofloxacin 500 mg can affect the way some other medicines work. Also some medicines can affect the way Levofloxacin 500 mg works.
In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines. This is because it can increase the chance of you getting side effects, when taken with Levofloxacin 500 mg:
• Corticosteroids, sometimes called steroids - used for inflammation. You may be more likely to have inflammation and/or rupture of your tendons.
• Warfarin - used to thin the blood. You may be more likely to have a bleed. Your doctor may need to take regular blood tests to check how well your blood can clot.
• Theophylline - used for breathing problems. You are more likely to have a fit (seizure) if taken with Levofloxacin 500 mg.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory durgs (NSAIDS) - used for pain and inflammation such as aspirin, ibuprofen, fenbufen, ketoprofen and indomethacin. You are more likely to have a fit (seizure) if taken with Levofloxacin 500 mg.
• Ciclosporin - used after organ transplants. You may be more likely to get the side effects of ciclosporin.
• Medicines known to affect the way your heart beats. This includes medicines used for abnormal heart rhythm (antiarrhythmics such as quinidine, hydroquinidine, disopyramide, sotalol, dofetilide, ibutilide and amiodarone), for depression (tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and imipramine,), for psychiatric disorders (antipsychotics), and for bacterial infections (‘macrolide’ antibiotics such as erythromycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin)
• Probenecid - used for gout and cimetidine - used for ulcers and heartburn. Special care should be taken when taking either of these medicines with Levofloxacin 500 mg. If you have kidney problems, your doctor may want to give you a lower dose.
Do not take Levofloxacin 500 mg at the same time as the following medicines. This is because it can affect the way Levofloxacin 500 mg works:
• Iron tablets (for anaemia), zinc supplements, magnesium or aluminium-containing antacids (for acidity or heartburn), didanosine, or sucralfate (for stomach ulcers). See section 3 “If you are already taking iron tablets, zinc supplements, antacids, didanosine or sucralfate” below.
Urine tests for opiates
Urine tests may show ‘false-positive’ results for strong painkillers called ‘opiates’ in people taking levofloxacin. If your doctor has prescribed a urine test, tell your doctor you are taking Levofloxacin 500 mg.
Tuberculosis tests
This medicine may cause “false negative” results for some tests used in laboratory to search for the bacteria causing tuberculosis.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Do not take this medicine if:
• You are pregnant, might become pregnant or think that you may be pregnant
• You are breastfeeding or planning to breast-feed
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
You may get side effects after taking this medicine, including feeling dizzy, sleepy, a spinning feeling (vertigo) or changes to your eyesight. Some of these side effects can affect you being able to concentrate and your reaction speed. If this happens, do not drive or carry out any work that requires a high level of attention.
3. How to take Levofloxacin 500 mg
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor as told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Taking this medicine
• Take this medicine by mouth
• Swallow your tablets whole or divided with a drink of water. Do not crush or chew them
• The tablet can be divided into equal doses
• The tablets can be taken during meals or any time between meals Protect your skin from sunlight
Keep out of direct sunlight while taking this medicine and for 2 days after you stop taking it. This is because your skin will become much more sensitive to the sun and may burn, tingle or severely blister if you do not take the following precautions:
• Make sure you use high factor sun cream
• Always wear a hat and clothes which cover your arms and legs
• Avoid sun beds
If you are already taking iron tablets, zinc supplements, antacids, didanosine or sucralfate
• Do not take these medicines at the same time as Levofloxacin 500 mg. Take your dose of these medicines at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking Levofloxacin 500 mg.
How much to take
• Your doctor will decide on how many tablets you should take.
• The dose will depend on the type of infection you have and where the infection is in your body.
• The length of your treatment will depend on how serious your infection is.
• If you feel the effect of your medicine is too weak or strong, do not change the dose yourself, but ask your doctor.
Adults and the elderly
• Sinuses infection
One tablet of Levofloxacin 500 mg, once each day
• Lung infection in people with long-term breathing problems One tablet of Levofloxacin 500 mg, once each day.
• Pneumonia
One tablet of Levofloxacin 500 mg, once or twice each day
• Infections of the urinary tract including your kidneys or bladder Half a tablet or one tablet of Levofloxacin 500 mg, each day
• Prostate gland infection
One tablet of Levofloxacin 500 mg once each day.
• Infections of the skin and underneath the skin, including muscles One tablet of Levofloxacin 500 mg once or twice each day
Adults and the elderly with kidney problems Your doctor may need to give you a lower dose.
Children and adolescents
This medicine must not be given to children or teenagers.
If you take more Levofloxacin 500 mg than you should.
If you accidentally take more tablets than you should, tell a doctor or get other medical advice straight away. Take the medicine pack with you. This is so the doctor knows what you have taken. The following effects may happen: convulsive fits (seizures), feeling confused, dizzy, less conscious, having tremor and heart problems - leading to uneven heart beats as well as feeling sick (nausea) or having stomach burning.
If you forget to take Levofloxacin 500 mg
If you forgot a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for your next dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for the forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Levofloxacin 500mg
Do not stop taking Levofloxacin 500 mg just because you feel better. It is important to finish your course of treatment prescribed by your doctor. If you stop taking the tablets too soon, the infection may return, your condition may get worse or the bacteria may become resistant to the medicine.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. These effects are normally mild or moderate and often disappear after a short time.
Stop taking Levofloxacin 500 mg and see a doctor or go to a hospital straight away if you notice the following side effect:
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
• You have an allergic reaction. The signs may include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue
Stop taking Levofloxacin 500 mg and see a doctor straight away if you notice any of the
following serious side effects - you may need urgent medical treatment:
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
• Watery diarrhoea which may have blood in it, possibly with stomach cramps and a high temperature. These could be signs of a severe bowel problem
• Pain and inflammation in you tendons or ligaments, which could lead to rupture. The Achilles tendon is affected most often
• Fits (convulsions)
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
• Burning, tingling, pain or numbness. These may be signs of something called “neuropathy”
Other:
• Severe skin rashes which may include blistering or peeling of the skin around your lips, eyes, mouth, nose and genitals
• Loss of appetite, skin and eyes becoming yellow in colour, dark-coloured urine, itching, or tender stomach (abdomen). These may be signs of liver problems which may include fatal failure of the liver
If you eyesight becomes impaired or if you have any other eye disturbances whilst taking this
medicine, consult an eye specialist immediately.
Tell your doctor if any of the following side effects gets serious or lasts longer than a few days:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
• Sleeping problems
• Headache, feeling dizzy
• Feeling sick (nausea, vomiting) and diarrhoea
• Increase in the level of some liver enzymes in your blood
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
• Changes in the number of other bacteria or fungi, infection by fungi named Candida, which may need to be treated
• Changes in the number of white blood cells shown up in the results of some blood tests (leukopenia, eosinophilia)
• Feeling stressed (anxiety), feeling confused, feeling nervous, feeling sleepy, trembling, a spinning feeling (vertigo)
• Shortness of breath (dyspnoea)
• Changes in the way things taste, loss of appetite, stomach upset or indigestion (dyspepsia), pain in your stomach area, feeling bloated (flatulence) or constipation
• Itching and rash, severe itching or hives (urticaria), sweating too much (hyperhidrosis)
• Joint pain or muscle pain
• Blood tests may show unusual results due to liver (bilirubin increased) or kidney (creatinine increased) problems
• General weakness
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
• Bruising and bleeding easily due to a lowering in the number of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia)
• Low number of white blood cells (neutropenia)
• Exaggerated immune response (hypersensitivity)
• Lowering of your blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia). This is important for people that have diabetes.
• Seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations, paranoia), change in your opinion and thoughts (psychotic reactions) with a risk of having suicidal thoughts or actions
• Feeling depressed, mental problems, feeling restless (agitation), abnormal dreams or nightmares
• Tingly feeling in your hands and feet (paraesthesia)
• Problems with your hearing (tinnitus) or eyesight (blurred vision)
• Unusual fast beating of your heart (tachycardia) or low blood pressure (hypotension)
• Muscle weakness. This is important in people with myasthenia gravis (a rare disease of the nervous system).
• Changes in the way your kidney works and occasional kidney failure which may be due to an allergic kidney reaction called interstitial nephritis.
• Fever
Other side effects include:
• Lowering in red blood cells (anaemia): this can make the skin pale or yellow due to damage of the red blood cells; lowering in the number of all types of blood cells (pancytopenia)
• Fever, sore throat and a general feeling of being unwell that does not go away. This may be due to a lowering in the number of white blood cells (agranulocytosis).
• Loss of circulation (anaphylactic like shock)
• Increase of your blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia) or lowering of your blood sugar levels leading to coma (hypoglycaemic coma). This is important for people that have diabetes.
• Changes in the way things smell, loss of smell or taste (parosmia, anosmia, ageusia)
• Problems moving and walking (dyskinesia, extrapyramidal disorders)
• Temporary loss of consciousness or posture (syncope)
• Temporary loss of vision
• Impairment or loss of hearing
• Abnormal fast heart rhythm, life-threatening irregular heart rhythm including cardiac arrest, alteration of the heart rhythm (called ‘prolongation of QT interval’, seen on ECG, electrical activity of the heart)
• Difficulty breathing or wheezing (bronchospasm)
• Allergic lung reactions
• Pancreatitis
• Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
• Increased sensitivity of your skin to sun and ultraviolet light (photosensitivity)
• Inflammation of the vessels that carry blood around your body due to an allergic reaction (vasculitis)
• Inflammation of the tissue inside the mouth (stomatitis)
• Muscle rupture and muscle destruction (rhabdomyolysis)
• Joint redness and swelling (arthritis)
• Pain, including pain in the back, chest and extremities
• Attacks of porphyria in people who already have porphyria (a very rare metabolic disease)
• Persistent headache with or without blurred vision (benign intracranial hypertension)
If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at
www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Levofloxacin 500 mg
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and the blister strip, after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicine via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Levofloxacin 500 mg contains
• the active substance is levofloxacin, as levofloxacin hemihydrate. Each tablet contains 500 mg of levofloxacin.
• the other ingredients are:
- Table core: crospovidone (type A), hypromellose, cellulose microcrystalline and sodium stearyl fumarate.
- Coating: hypromellose, titanium dioxide (E 171), talc, macrogol 8000, ferric oxide yellow (E 172) and ferric oxide red (E172)
What Levofloxacin 500 mg looks like and contents of the pack
Levofloxacin 500 mg is a pink, capsule shaped, film-coated tablet, approximately 16 x 8 mm, scored on both sides.
The tablets are supplied in blister strips inside a carton box Each box contains 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 16, 28, 30, 50, 200 and 500 tablets Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Farmaprojects, S.A.
Santa Eulalia 240-242
08902 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat-Barcelona
Spain
Manufacturer
Farmaprojects, S.A.
Santa Eulalia 240-242
08902 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat-Barcelona
Spain
Pharmaceutical Works POLPHARMA S.A Production Department in Nowa D$ba 1 Szypowskiego Str.
39-460 Nowa D§ba, POLAND
This medicinal product is authorised in the Member States of the EEA under the following names:
UK: Levofloxacin 500 mg film-coated tablets
ES: Levofloxacino Mabo 500 mg comprimidos recubiertos con pelicula