Sparfloxacin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Zagam

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For sparfloxacin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to sparfloxacin or to other fluoroquinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Sparfloxacin has not been studied in pregnant women. However, this medicine has been shown to cause bone development problems in young animals. Discuss with your doctor whether or not this medicine should be taken during pregnancy.

Breast-feeding - Sparfloxacin passes into the breast milk. It has also been shown to cause bone development problems in young animals. Discuss with your doctor whether or not to breast-feed during treatment with sparfloxacin.

Children - Caution is recommended in using sparfloxacin in children up to 18 years of age because similar medicines have been shown to cause bone development problems in young animals. However, your doctor may choose to use this medicine if other medicines cannot be used.

Older adults - This medicine has been studied in elderly patients and has not been found to cause different side effects or other problems than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking sparfloxacin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone) or
• Astemizole (e.g., Hismanal) or
• Cisapride (e.g., Propulsid) or
• Disopyramide (e.g., Norpace) or
• Erythromycin (e.g., E-Mycin) or
• Pentamidine (e.g., Nebupent) or
• Phenothiazines (acetophenazine [e.g., Tindal], chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Sparine], promethazine [e.g., Phenergan], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril], trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin], trimeprazine [e.g., Temaril]) or
• Terfenadine (e.g., Seldane) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline [e.g., Elavil], amoxapine [e.g., Asendin], clomipramine [e.g., Anafranil], desipramine [e.g., Pertofrane], doxepin [e.g., Sinequan], imipramine [e.g., Tofranil], nortriptyline [e.g., Aventyl], protriptyline [e.g., Vivactil], trimipramine [e.g., Surmontil]) - Use with sparfloxacin may lead to an increased risk of heart rhythm problems caused by sparfloxacin or these medicines

• Antacids, aluminum-, calcium-, or magnesium-containing or
• Iron supplements or
• Sucralfate (e.g., Carafate) or
• Zinc - Antacids, iron, sucralfate, or zinc may interfere with absorption of sparfloxacin into the body

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of sparfloxacin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Brain or spinal cord disease, including hardening of the arteries in the brain, or epilepsy or other seizures - Sparfloxacin may increase the chance of convulsions (seizures) occurring

• Heart rhythm problems or
• Heart or blood problems that could lead to heart rhythm problems - Sparfloxacin can cause heart rhythm problems

• Kidney disease - Effects of sparfloxacin may be increased because of slower removal from the body

• Sensitivity of the skin to sunlight (previous) - Increased risk of severe reactions to sunlight caused by sparfloxacin