Drug Trade Name – Factive

Generic name – Gemifloxacin

Group – Quinolones

Introduction and Quick Information about Gemifloxacin:

Gemifloxacin is an effective medicine used to treat a number of conditions caused by unhealthy bacteria. This medication is meant to treat a variety of bacterial infections, including the treatment of bronchitis and pneumonia.

Gemifloxacin is antibiotic and it belongs to the class of medications known as fluoroquinolones. This medication works by slashing down certain bacteria which result in some life-threatening infections. Gemifloxacin has the ability to interfere with two bacterial enzymes known as DNA gyrase topoisomerase IV and. These enzymes are required by bacteria in order to repair and copy DNA, which is an important step required for the bacteria for the multiplication purpose.

NOTE – Gemifloxacin is not licensed for the use in kids who are as young as 18 years of age.

Is Gemifloxacin Approved by FDA?

On 4^th April, 2004, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have given approval to Gemifloxacin for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections, including pneumonia and bronchitis.

Usage and Benefits of Gemifloxacin:

Gemifloxacin Mesylate is one of the prescribed antibiotic drugs, which is included in the class of medicines termed as Fluoroquinolones. This medication is licensed to treat the below-mentioned condition:

• Gemifloxacin for Bronchitis - Chronic bronchitis is one of the forms of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), which is a lung disorder in which lungs get damaged, resulting in long-term breathing complications. With this condition, the airways (tubes which can carry air out and into the lungs) are obstructed partly that further makes a difficult for the patients to breath. According to the severity of condition, your medical advisor may recommend certain drugs as the part of overall COPD treatment. Gemifloxacin (Factive) is approved for the treatment of temporary symptoms. Particularly, this drug is licensed to treat these exacerbations occurred due to below-mentioned bacteria:

• Haemophilus influenzae
• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Moraxella catarrhalis
• Haemophilus parainfluenzae

• Gemifloxacin for Pneumonia - This is an infection within both or just one lung. Pneumonia can be occurred because of viruses, bacteria, or, in a few cases, parasites or fungi. Physicians separate pneumonia in different kinds according to where the infection has emerged or the germ which caused it. Gemifloxacin (Factive) is licensed for the treatment of community-acquired, moderate-to-mild pneumonia, which is “caught” out or acquired in community, outside of a nursing home or hospital. This medicine is particularly approved to work against below-mentioned kinds of bacteria:

• Haemophilus influenzae
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (including multidrug-resistant strains)
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Moraxella catarrhalis
• Klebsiella pneumoniae.
• Chlamydia pneumoniae

Gemifloxacin Side Effects:

Just like the good points and benefits, every medication includes some side effects also. Many a times, these sorts of negative effects can be occurred because of inappropriate dose, overdose or maybe due to drug interaction. You may keep away from some possible side effects by taking your medication on the recommended time and in recommended amounts.  Some possible Gemifloxacin side effects are:

• fast, fainting or pounding heartbeat
• severe dizziness
• popping or snapping sound
• sudden pain
• stiffness
• easy bruising
• tenderness
• swelling
• diarrhea which is bloody or watery
• loss of movement in any joint
• depression
• confusion
• hallucinations
• seizure (convulsions)
• dark colored urine
• unusual behavior or thoughts
• upper stomach pain
• fever
• weakness
• clay-colored stools
• yellowed or pale skin
• loss of appetite
• jaundice
• urinating not at all or less than usual
• easy bleeding or bruising
• swelling in tongue or face
• severe skin reaction
• tingling, burning, or pain anywhere in the body
• sleep problems (nightmares or insomnia)
• burning in eyes
• vomiting
• drowsiness
• nausea
• feeling restless, anxious, or nervous
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• muscle pain

It is advisable to seek the help of medical adviser whenever you observe any of the aforementioned side effects.

General Recommended Dosages of Gemifloxacin:

Well, it is a rule of every sort of treatment, especially a medication treatment, to follow the dosing schedule in the proper amounts and in the proper way which your doctor has recommended you. Never take this drug in smaller or bigger amounts or for more than the prescribed amounts.

Also, you should follow each and every direction given by your healthcare provider or mentioned on the prescription label carefully.

You must use Gemifloxacin with one complete 8 ounces (one glass) of water. You also have to consume Drink several extra glasses of fluid each day while you are taking gemifloxacin.

Gemifloxacin may be taken without or with the meals, but have it at the same time daily.

Take this drug for full prescribed length. For further queries, call your doctor.

Store this medication away from moisture, light, and heat and keep it at room temperature.

In Case I Miss my Dose?

You can simply take the Gemifloxacin missed dosage the moment it’s very thought strikes your mind. If the time has almost appeared to take next scheduled dosage, don’t take the previously missed dose and wait for the time to have the next regular dose.  Also, look for the advice of your medical advisor in case you are in doubt or want to ask something regarding the Gemifloxacin dose.

In Case I Take Overdose?

Symptoms of Gemifloxacin overdose may include chills, weakness, seizure (convulsions), and tremors. If you think that you have used this drug in more than recommended amounts, just rush to your healthcare provider’s clinic.

Drug Interactions of Gemifloxacin:

Possible drugs which may have an interaction with Gemifloxacin (Factive) include:

• probenecid (Benemid)
• diuretic (water pill)
• blood thinner like warfarin (Jantoven, Coumadin)
• antidepressant like clomipramine (Anafranil), amitriptylline (Vanatrip, Elavil, Limbitrol), or desipramine (Norpramin)
• antibiotic like pentamidine (Pentam, NebuPent), erythromycin (EryPed, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Pediazole, Erythrocin), or clarithromycin (Biaxin)
• anti-malaria drugs like mefloquine (Lariam) or chloroquine (Aralen),
• medications to treat or prevent vomiting and nausea like dolasetron (Anzemet) or ondansetron (Zofran)
• medications for the treatment of psychiatric disorders like clozapine (Clozaril,FazaClo), haloperidol (Haldol), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), pimozide (Orap), ziprasidone (Geodon) or thioridazine (Mellaril),
• migraine headache like zolmitriptan (Zomig) or sumatriptan (Treximet, Imitrex)
• narcotic drugs like methadone (Dolophine, Diskets, Methadose)
• oral steroid drugs like prednisone (Sterapred), etc

Also, it is your duty to let your physician know about all sorts of medications and health supplements if you really want to keep drug interaction side effects at bay.

Life style and Food Habits you must Follow When on Gemifloxacin:

You must not take this drug in case you have myasthenia gravis, or if you find yourself allergic to Gemifloxacin or same drugs.

Inform your healthcare provider if you have:

• allergic reaction to an antibiotic
• heart rhythm disorder
• kidney disease
• joint problems
• seizures or epilepsy
• hypokalemia (low blood levels of potassium) or hypomagnesemia (magnesium)
• difficulty in breathing
• muscle weakness
• circulation problems or nerve disorder
• a family or personal history of Long QT syndrome

Avoid the use of antacids, mineral or vitamin supplements, or didanosine (Videx) sucralfate (Carafate), chewable or powder pills within 2 hours after or 6 hours before you use Gemifloxacin.

This medication may lead to tearing or swelling of tendon (fiber which connects muscles to bones in body), mainly in Achilles’ tendon. These kinds of effects and problems are likely to take place if you use steroid drugs, in case you are above 60, or in case you have had a lung, heart, or kidney transplant.

Avoid the direct exposure to tanning beds or sunlight because Gemifloxacin can make you suntan or sunburn quite easily.

How Safe is Gemifloxacin for Pregnant Women or Nursing Mothers?

Pregnancy accompanied by indescribable happiness, joy as well as satisfaction brings oodles of expected and unexpected modifications inside the human body of a lady who is conceiving a baby. Well of course, at that moment, consuming something wrong or even strong, like highly reactive medications, can result in several health problems. Although it is unknown if Gemifloxacin can damage the health of unborn babies, you must inform your general practitioner if you are expecting or can become pregnant while using Gemifloxacin.

It is not yet known if Gemifloxacin may pass in to the breast milk and may do harm to the nursed infants. Thus, don’t use this drug without informing your physician if you breast-feed.

Complications and Conditions Possible due to Prolonged Use of Gemifloxacin:

Well, it is not known whether Gemifloxacin can result in habit-forming or addiction ability or not. But still, you need to be wise enough to take recommendation and advice of your general practitioner before stopping the use of Gemifloxacin suddenly and completely.

Availability of Gemifloxacin:

You can get Gemifloxacin from various local drug shops, which are FDA sanctioned and also from certain online-authorized drug stores. These kinds of renowned medicine companies target to offer users the required medicine along with its brief information so that the buyers can get sure whether this drug is suitable for them or not.