Levofloxacin monotherapy is highly effective in community-acquired pneumonia
Levofloxacin is one of the three respiratory fluoroquinolones that are recommended for empirical treatment of a wide range of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

It is a second generation fluoroquinolone and compared with the first generation products has improved efficacy against Gram-positive microorganisms (particularly S. pneumoniae, including penicillin resistant strains, and macrolides) and against atypical pathogens.

In vitro levofloxacin shows antibacterial activity against most of the Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms associated with CAP, as well as against atypical bacteria (M. pneumoniae, C. pneumonia, Legionella spp.).

All beta-lactam antibiotics are ineffective against the above noted atypical microorganisms. In contrast, respiratory quinolones such as levofloxacin have the highest activity against these pathogens, followed by tetracyclines and macrolides

Levofloxacin shows good in vitro activity against H. influenzae (a frequent cause of CAP in smokers and patients with COPD) and M. catarrhalis (including beta-lactamase producing strains) and against methicillin- or oxacillin-susceptible strains of S. aureus.

Levofloxacin is approved for the treatment of systemic infections caused by P. aeruginosa.

After oral administration, this antibiotic has a good bioavailability in the tissue (almost 100%), and reaches peak tissue concentration after 3 hours. Its long half-life allows for convenient once-daily dosing.

Comparative randomized multicenter studies have shown that the levofloxacin has good clinical and bacteriological efficacy in the treatment of mild, moderate and severe CAP in immunocompetent adult patients – a clinical response is achieved in> 90% of the patients with low frequency of recurrence of the disease after the end of treatment .

Levofloxacin administered orally (at a dose of 500 mg once daily for a period of 7 to 14 days) has similar effectiveness to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in elderly patients with mild CAP.

In hospitalized patients with severe CAP treatment with the fluoroquinolone (intravenous and then oral) is more effective than intravenous therapy with ceftriaxone and/or cefuroxime for achieving clinical recovery and bacteriological eradication.

In most CAP cases once-daily dose of levofloxacin achieved equal serum levels after oral or intravenous administration.

Advantages of levofloxacin:

– Favorable pharmacokinetics allowing once-daily dosing

– Broad antibacterial spectrum in in vitro conditions

– Good efficacy profile established in clinical studies

– Good tolerability profile

Tchaikapharma High Quality Medicines Inc. offers Levofloxacin on the Bulgarian market under the following trade name:

Levor 500 mg x 10 tabl. – BGN 14.99