Ofloxacin
About
Ofloxacin contains a class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones, primarily used to treat infections caused by bacteria including pneumonia, gonorrhoea (a sexually transmitted disease), typhoid fever, infectious diarrhoea, and infections of the skin, eye/ear, bone, joint, abdomen, and prostate (male reproductive gland). A bacterial infection is a condition in which bacteria grow in the body and cause infection. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly.
Ofloxacin contains antibacterial Ofloxacin, which helps in treating and preventing a wide range of bacterial infections. It is bactericidal and works by killing bacteria that cause infections. It inhibits the repairing of bacterial cells and kills the bacteria, thereby preventing the further spread of the infection. Ofloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic against most Gram-negative bacteria, many Gram-positive bacteria and some anaerobes bacteria (that live without oxygen).
Ofloxacin should be taken in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. It is advised to take with food and be taken at a fixed time to achieve maximum effect. Do not take Ofloxacin with dairy products as it may lower its efficacy. You may experience sleep problems, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, itching, external genital itching in women, vaginal inflammation (vaginitis) and taste changes in some cases. Most of these side effects of Ofloxacin do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor. If you experience any allergic reaction symptoms such as rashes, itching, swelling, or shortness of breath, immediately contact the doctor.
Inform your doctor if you have any lung disease, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), sleeping disorder or difficulty sleeping (sleep apnoea), severe liver disease, or problem with alcohol or other prescription recreational drugs. Inform your doctor if you are planning to get pregnant, are pregnant, or breastfeeding. Use of Ofloxacin is associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon (tough tissue that connects muscle to bone) rupture in all ages. People taking Ofloxacin who are over 60 years are at high risk, especially those who are taking any anti-allergic medicines like corticosteroid drugs. Ofloxacin is contraindicated in people with kidney/heart diseases, and for those who have had lung transplant should its use is not recommended.
Uses of Ofloxacin
Medicinal Benefits
Ofloxacin contains the antibiotic Ofloxacin, which helps in treating and preventing a wide range of bacterial infections caused by most Gram-negative bacteria, many Gram-positive bacteria, and some anaerobes bacteria (that live without oxygen). It is bactericidal in nature and works by killing bacteria that cause infections by prevents the formation of the cell wall required for living. It also inhibits the repair of bacterial cells. Altogether it kills the bacteria. Ofloxacin has the advantage of good penetration in most deep tissues and body fluid. Hence, it is also suitable for the treatment of deep tissue and bone bacterial infections.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Ofloxacin
- Tendon rupture
- Arthralgia (joint pain)
- Sleep problems
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Itching
- External genital itching in women
- Vaginal inflammation (vaginitis)
- Taste changes
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not take Ofloxacin if you are allergic or have had a severe reaction to ofloxacin or any other quinolone or fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as delafloxacin, gemifloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. Taking Ofloxacin may increase the chances of developing tendinitis (swelling of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle) or have a tendon rupture (tearing of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle). Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had a kidney, heart, or lung transplant, kidney disease, a joint or tendon disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disorder of joints causing pain, swelling, and loss of function), seizures (fits), epilepsy or if you participate in regular physical activity. Taking Ofloxacin may worsen muscle weakness in people with myasthenia gravis (a nervous system disorder that causes muscle weakness) and cause severe difficulty breathing or death. Dairy products should be avoided along with Ofloxacin. And also, exposure to sunlight should be avoided while taking Ofloxacin as it may cause increased phototoxicity or photosensitivity. Patients with epilepsy and irregular heartbeat (QT prolongation) should tell their doctor before taking Ofloxacin.
Drug Interactions
Drug-drug interaction: This medicine may have an interaction with blood thinners (aspirin, warfarin), antidepressants and antipsychotics (clozapine, olanzapine), caffeine-containing medications, insulin, or other anti-diabetic medications (chlorpropamide, glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide, metformin, tolazamide, and tolbutamide), medications for regulating irregular heartbeat (amiodarone, disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine), pain killers (ibuprofen, naproxen). Take Ofloxacin either 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking an antacid, multivitamin, or other product that has calcium/magnesium/aluminum/iron/zinc, antiulcer agent (sucralfate), or anti-HIV drug (didanosine).
Drug-Food Interaction: Ofloxacin interacts with dairy products (milk or yogurt) or calcium-fortified juices alone.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had tendon rupture, musculoskeletal problem (myopathy, rhabdomyolysis), kidney/heart/lung transplant, low blood potassium (hypokalemia), kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, seizures (fits), epilepsy or any other neurological disorder if you participate in regular physical activity before starting Ofloxacin.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAlcohol is not known to cause any unpleasant side effects if taken along with Ofloxacin. But intake of alcohol with Ofloxacin may damage your liver. So intake of Ofloxacin should be avoided with Ofloxacin.
Pregnancy
unsafeOfloxacin is a pregnancy Category C medicine. It is not known whether Ofloxacin will affect pregnant women or fetus or not. Hence, the intake of Ofloxacin should be avoided if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant as it may harm the baby.
Breast Feeding
cautionOfloxacin is excreted in human milk. But the amount of Ofloxacin absorbed by the nursing infant is unknown. So, it should not be taken while breastfeeding.
Driving
cautionOfloxacin can affect alertness and coordination. So, operating machinery which requires concentration should be avoided.
Liver
cautionOfloxacin to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of liver diseases/conditions. Your doctor may have to adjust the dose if there are symptoms of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dark-colored urine, yellowing of or skin/eye.
Kidney
cautionOfloxacin to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
Children
safe if prescribedOfloxacin can be given to children but under child specialist medical supervision. Ofloxacin is prescribed to the children to treat complicated urinary tract infections, anthrax infection, or plague infection.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Do not drink or eat a lot of caffeine-containing products such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, cola, or chocolate. Ofloxacin may increase nervousness, sleeplessness, and anxiety caused by caffeine.
- Probiotics should be taken after taking the full course of Ofloxacin to restore some healthy bacteria in the intestines that may have been killed. Taking probiotics after antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Certain fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi can help restore the intestine's good bacteria.
- Include more fiber-enriched food in your diet, as it can be easily digested by your gut bacteria, which helps stimulate their growth. Thus, fiber-rich foods may help restore healthy gut bacteria after a course of antibiotics. Whole grains like whole-grain bread, brown rice should be included in your diet. Make sure you drink plenty of water or other fluids every day while you are taking Ofloxacin.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages with Ofloxacin as it can make you dehydrated and may affect your sleep. This can make it harder for your body to aid the Ofloxacin in fighting off infections.
Special Advise
Tendon damage (especially to the Achilles tendon) can occur within 48 hours of starting Ofloxacin treatment. The onset of symptoms and signs of the side effects may be delayed several months after stopping treatment. At the first sign of tendinitis (like painful swelling, inflammation), immediately stop taking Ofloxacin. The affected limbs should be appropriately treated (e.g., immobilisation). Corticosteroids medicines (like anti-inflammatory drugs including cortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, betamethasone, hydrocortisone should not be used if signs of tendon rupture occur.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
A bacterial infection is a condition in which harmful bacteria enter, multiply, and infect our bodies. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly. When you get infected with bacteria, you can experience generalized symptoms, like fevers, chills, and fatigue. Bacteria are of various forms comprising commonly of spherical, rod, and spiral-shaped. Bacterial infections vary from minor illnesses like sore throat and ear infections to severe brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis. Few harmful bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli. Anyone can become infected with a bacterial infection. People with weak immune systems or taking immunosuppressive medicine can make them more prone to bacterial infection.
FAQs
If you miss a dose of Ofloxacin, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it's almost time for the next dose, do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
No, Ofloxacin should not be taken along with dairy products as it might affect the absorption and efficacy of Ofloxacin. However, you can take it with a meal that includes these foods or drinks.
Ofloxacin makes your skin sensitive to sunlight known as photosensitivity. So, prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light should be avoided. In case of emergency, you should always wear sunscreen before going out.
Yes, after taking Ofloxacin, you may have diarrhea. Ofloxacin is an antibiotic that kills or prevents bacterial growth, so in case some good intestinal bacteria which aid in digestion might also get killed. So, drink plenty of fluids and take probiotics to prevent excessive loss of fluids from the body (dehydration).
No, Ofloxacin should be taken in the dose and duration as advised by the doctor. If you take it in more than the recommended dose, it might cause unpleasant side effects. If you think your symptoms are not improving, please consult your doctor
You are recommended to take Ofloxacin either 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking an antacid, multivitamin, or other product that has calcium/magnesium/aluminium/iron/zinc, antiulcer agent (sucralfate) or anti-HIV drug (didanosine).
