Levofloxacin Hemihydrate

Adults: Levofloxacin tablets are usually taken as 250 mg, 500 mg or 750 mg by mouth every 24 hours. The tablets can be taken with or without food. The oral solution should be taken 1 hour before, or 2 hours after eating. Levofloxacin injection is given only by intravenous infusion. It is not for intramuscular, intrathecal, intraperitoneal or subcutaneous use. The usual dose is 250 mg or 500 mg by slow infusion over 60 minutes every 24 hours, or 750 mg by slow infusion over 90 minutes every 24 hours. The injection is for single use only, so any unused portion should be thrown away. Don't add other additives or medicines to it, and don't infuse anything else at the same time through the same intravenous line. Adults: For acute sinusitis, the dose is 500 mg once daily for 10 to 14 days, or 750 mg once daily for 5 days. For an exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, it is 500 mg once daily for 7 days, or 750 mg once daily for 3 days (uncomplicated) or for 5 days (complicated). Community-acquired pneumonia is treated with 500 mg once daily for 7 to 14 days, or 750 mg once daily for 5 days. Uncomplicated urinary-tract infections need 250 mg once daily for 3 days. Complicated urinary-tract infections and acute pyelonephritis need 250 mg once daily for 7 to 10 days. For uncomplicated skin and soft-tissue infections the dose is 500 mg once daily for 7 to 10 days, and for complicated ones it is 750 mg once daily for 7 to 14 days. Enteric fever is treated with 500 mg once daily for 7 to 14 days. For diarrhea, cholera, shigellosis and enteritis, a mild to moderate case needs 500 mg as a single dose. A moderate to severe case needs 500 mg once daily for 3 days. Children: Children from 6 months to under 5 years get 10 mg/kg every 12 hours. Children over 5 years get 10 mg/kg every 24 hours. In each case, the physician may decide to move the patient from intravenous to oral treatment (sequential therapy).