Gemifloxacin (Systemic)
Brand Names : Factive
Before Using This MedicineIn 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
gemifloxacin, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual
or allergic reaction to gemifloxacin or to other fluoroquinolones (type of
antibiotics). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic
to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy - Gemifloxacin has not been studied in pregnant women.
However, this medicine has been shown to cause growth and development problems
in young animals. Discuss with your doctor whether or not this medicine should
be taken during pregnancy.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether gemifloxacin passes into
human breast milk. Discuss with your doctor whether to breast-feed during
treatment with this medicine.
Children - Studies on this medicine have only been done in
adult patients and there is no specific information comparing the use of gemifloxacin
in children with use in other age groups. It is not recommended to use gemifloxacin
in children up to 18 years of age because this medicine has been shown to
cause bone development problems in young animals.
Older adults - There is no specific information comparing use
of gemifloxacin in the elderly with use in other age groups. However, it has
been used in older people 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. Tell your health
care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription
(over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines. When you are taking gemifloxacin, it is
especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking
any of the following:
-
Antiarrhythmic agents (medicine for abnormal heart rhythm)
-
Anti-psychotics (medicine for mental illness) or
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Erythromycin (e.g., ) or
-
Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) - Gemifloxacin
may cause changes in heart rhythm when taken with these drugs
-
Antacids, aluminum- or magnesium-containing or
-
Didanosine (e.g., Videx) or
-
Iron supplements or
-
Multivitamins with zinc or other metals - These medicines may
reduce the effectiveness of gemifloxacin; they should not be taken at least
3 hours before or 2 hours after you take your gemifloxacin.
-
Sucralfate (e.g., Carafate) - This medicines may reduce the effectiveness
of gemifloxacin; gemifloxacin should be taken at least 2 hours before you
take sucralfate.
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of gemifloxacin. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Brain or spinal cord disease, epilepsy or other seizures - Gemifloxacin
may increase the chance of making these problems worse.
-
Heart rhythm problems - Gemifloxacin should be used with caution
in patients with these conditions.
-
Hypokalemia (not enough potassium in your blood) or
-
Hypomagnesemia (not enough magnesium in your blood) - These
conditions can increase your risk of having a fast, slow or irregular heartbeat
when you are taking gemifloxacin.
-
QTc prolongation (rare heart rhythm problem) - Gemifloxacin may
cause this condition to become worse, especially with higher doses of gemifloxacin.
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