Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Floxin

Descriptions


Ofloxacin is used to treat certain bacterial infections in many different parts of the body. It may also be used for other problems as determined by your doctor. Ofloxacin may mask or delay the symptoms of syphilis. It is not effective against syphilis infections.

Ofloxacin belongs to the class of drugs known as fluoroquinolone antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Tablet

Before Using

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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of ofloxacin in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of ofloxacin in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related heart or kidney problems, or develop severe tendon problems (including tendon rupture), which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving ofloxacin.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

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 this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Bepridil
  • Cisapride
  • Dronedarone
  • Levoketoconazole
  • Mesoridazine
  • Pimozide
  • Piperaquine
  • Saquinavir
  • Sparfloxacin
  • Terfenadine
  • Thioridazine
  • Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Acarbose
  • Acecainide
  • Adagrasib
  • Albiglutide
  • Alfuzosin
  • Alogliptin
  • Alosetron
  • Amiodarone
  • Amisulpride
  • Amitriptyline
  • Amoxapine
  • Anagrelide
  • Apomorphine
  • Aripiprazole
  • Aripiprazole Lauroxil
  • Arsenic Trioxide
  • Asenapine
  • Astemizole
  • Atazanavir
  • Azimilide
  • Azithromycin
  • Bedaquiline
  • Betamethasone
  • Bretylium
  • Budesonide
  • Buprenorphine
  • Bupropion
  • Buserelin
  • Canagliflozin
  • Ceritinib
  • Chloroquine
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Chlorpropamide
  • Cholera Vaccine, Live
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Citalopram
  • Clarithromycin
  • Clofazimine
  • Clomipramine
  • Clothiapine
  • Clozapine
  • Corticotropin
  • Cortisone
  • Cosyntropin
  • Crizotinib
  • Cyclobenzaprine
  • Dabrafenib
  • Dapagliflozin
  • Dasatinib
  • Deflazacort
  • Degarelix
  • Delamanid
  • Desipramine
  • Deslorelin
  • Deutetrabenazine
  • Dexamethasone
  • Dexmedetomidine
  • Disopyramide
  • Dofetilide
  • Dolasetron
  • Domperidone
  • Donepezil
  • Droperidol
  • Dulaglutide
  • Efavirenz
  • Empagliflozin
  • Encorafenib
  • Entrectinib
  • Ertugliflozin
  • Erythromycin
  • Escitalopram
  • Etrasimod
  • Exenatide
  • Fexinidazole
  • Fingolimod
  • Flecainide
  • Fluconazole
  • Fludrocortisone
  • Fluocortolone
  • Fluoxetine
  • Formoterol
  • Foscarnet
  • Fostemsavir
  • Gatifloxacin
  • Gemifloxacin
  • Gepirone
  • Glasdegib
  • Glimepiride
  • Glipizide
  • Glyburide
  • Gonadorelin
  • Goserelin
  • Granisetron
  • Halofantrine
  • Haloperidol
  • Histrelin
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Hydroxyzine
  • Ibutilide
  • Iloperidone
  • Imipramine
  • Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
  • Insulin
  • Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
  • Insulin Bovine
  • Insulin Degludec
  • Insulin Detemir
  • Insulin Glulisine
  • Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
  • Ivosidenib
  • Ketoconazole
  • Lapatinib
  • Lefamulin
  • Lenvatinib
  • Leuprolide
  • Levofloxacin
  • Linagliptin
  • Liraglutide
  • Lixisenatide
  • Lofexidine
  • Lopinavir
  • Lumefantrine
  • Macimorelin
  • Magnesium Sulfate
  • Mefloquine
  • Metformin
  • Methadone
  • Methylprednisolone
  • Metronidazole
  • Mifepristone
  • Miglitol
  • Mirtazapine
  • Mobocertinib
  • Moricizine
  • Moxifloxacin
  • Nafarelin
  • Nateglinide
  • Nilotinib
  • Norfloxacin
  • Nortriptyline
  • Octreotide
  • Olanzapine
  • Ondansetron
  • Osilodrostat
  • Osimertinib
  • Oxaliplatin
  • Ozanimod
  • Pacritinib
  • Paliperidone
  • Panobinostat
  • Paroxetine
  • Pasireotide
  • Pazopanib
  • Phenobarbital
  • Pimavanserin
  • Pioglitazone
  • Pitolisant
  • Ponesimod
  • Porfimer
  • Posaconazole
  • Pramlintide
  • Prednisolone
  • Prednisone
  • Primidone
  • Procainamide
  • Prochlorperazine
  • Promethazine
  • Protriptyline
  • Quetiapine
  • Quinidine
  • Quinine
  • Quizartinib
  • Ranolazine
  • Rasagiline
  • Relugolix
  • Repaglinide
  • Ribociclib
  • Rosiglitazone
  • Saxagliptin
  • Selpercatinib
  • Semaglutide
  • Sematilide
  • Sertraline
  • Sevoflurane
  • Siponimod
  • Sitagliptin
  • Sodium Phosphate
  • Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
  • Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
  • Solifenacin
  • Sorafenib
  • Sotalol
  • Sulpiride
  • Sunitinib
  • Tacrolimus
  • Tedisamil
  • Telithromycin
  • Tetrabenazine
  • Tizanidine
  • Tolazamide
  • Tolbutamide
  • Toremifene
  • Trazodone
  • Triamcinolone
  • Triclabendazole
  • Trifluoperazine
  • Trimipramine
  • Triptorelin
  • Vandetanib
  • Vardenafil
  • Vemurafenib
  • Venlafaxine
  • Vilanterol
  • Vinflunine
  • Voclosporin
  • Voglibose
  • Voriconazole
  • Warfarin
  • Zuclopenthixol

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Aminolevulinic Acid
  • Didanosine
  • Iron
  • Lanthanum Carbonate
  • Sucralfate
  • Zinc

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

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

  • Bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or
  • Diabetes or
  • Diarrhea or
  • Heart disease or
  • Heart rhythm problems (eg, prolonged QT interval), or family history of or
  • Hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood), uncorrected or
  • Myocardial ischemia (reduced blood supply in the heart) or
  • Seizures (epilepsy), or history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • Brain disease (eg, hardening of the arteries) or
  • Kidney disease or
  • Liver disease (including cirrhosis) or
  • Organ transplant (eg, heart, kidney, or lung), history of or
  • Tendon disorder (eg, rheumatoid arthritis), history of—Use with caution. May cause side effects to become worse.
  • Myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness), or history of—Should not be used in patients with this condition.

Proper Use

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

This medicine comes with a Medication Guide. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

You may take this medicine with or without food.

Drink plenty of fluids while you are being treated with this medicine. Drinking extra water will help to prevent some unwanted effects of ofloxacin.

If you are also using antacids containing aluminum or magnesium (such as Maalox®, Mylanta®), multivitamins (with calcium, iron, or zinc), didanosine (Videx®), or sucralfate (Carafate®), take these medicines at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after you take ofloxacin. These medicines may keep ofloxacin from working properly.

Keep using this medicine for the full treatment time, even if you feel better after the first few doses. Your infection may not clear up if you stop using the medicine too soon.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For oral dosage form (tablets):
    • For treatment of infection:
      • Adults—200 to 400 milligrams (mg) every 12 hours for 3 to 14 days, depending on the medical problem being treated. Prostatitis is usually treated for 6 weeks. Gonorrhea is usually treated with a single oral dose of 400 mg.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress while you are using this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor or nurse right away if you have a rash, itching, hives, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after you take this medicine.

Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using this medicine.

Check with your doctor right away if you have dark urine, clay-colored stools, abdominal or stomach pain, or yellow eyes or skin. These maybe symptoms of a serious liver problem.

Ofloxacin may cause diarrhea, and in some cases it can be severe. It may occur 2 months or more after you stop using this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor. Diarrhea medicines may make the diarrhea worse or make it last longer. If you have any questions about this or if mild diarrhea continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

Tell your doctor right away if you start having numbness, tingling, or burning pain in your hands, arms, legs, or feet. These may be symptoms of a condition called peripheral neuropathy.

Ofloxacin may rarely cause inflammation or even tearing of a tendon (the cord that attaches muscles to bones). The risk of having tendon problems may be increased if you are over 60 years of age, using steroid medicines (eg, dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone, or Medrol®), have severe kidney problems, have a history of tendon problems (eg, rheumatoid arthritis), or have received an organ (eg, heart, kidney, or lung) transplant. If you get sudden pain or swelling in a tendon after exercise (eg, in the ankle, back of the knee or leg, shoulder, elbow, or wrist), check with your doctor right away. Refrain from exercise until your doctor says otherwise.

For patients with an abnormally slow heartbeat or low potassium levels in the blood, ofloxacin may increase your risk of having a fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat. Call your doctor right away if you feel that your heart is not beating normally.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while using this medicine: convulsions, feeling anxious, confused, or depressed, seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, severe headache, trouble sleeping, or unusual thoughts or behaviors.

Some people who take ofloxacin may become more sensitive to sunlight than they are normally. Exposure to sunlight, even for brief periods of time, may cause severe sunburn, or skin rash, redness, itching, or discoloration. When you begin using this medicine:

  • Stay out of direct sunlight, especially between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, if possible.
  • Wear protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses.
  • Apply a sun block product that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Some people may require a product with a higher SPF number, especially if they have a fair complexion. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
  • Do not use a sun lamp or tanning bed or booth.

If you have a severe reaction from the sun, check with your doctor.

Ofloxacin may cause some people to become dizzy, lightheaded, drowsy, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert. If these reactions are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.

For diabetic patients taking insulin or oral medicine: Ofloxacin may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in some patients. Symptoms of low blood sugar must be treated before they lead to unconsciousness (passing out). Different people may feel different symptoms of low blood sugar. If you experience symptoms of low blood sugar, stop taking ofloxacin and check with your doctor right away:

  • Symptoms of low blood sugar can include: Anxious feeling, behavior change similar to being drunk, blurred vision, cold sweats, confusion, cool pale skin, difficulty in concentrating, drowsiness, excessive hunger, headache, nausea, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, shakiness, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

  1. Abdominal or stomach pain
  2. anxiety
  3. black, tarry stools
  4. bleeding gums
  5. blood in the urine or stools
  6. blurred vision
  7. body aches or pain
  8. chest pain
  9. chills
  10. cloudy urine
  11. cold sweats
  12. coma
  13. confusion
  14. congestion
  15. cool, pale skin
  16. cough
  17. depression
  18. diarrhea
  19. dry mouth
  20. dryness or soreness of the throat
  21. eye pain
  22. fast heartbeat
  23. fever
  24. flushed, dry skin
  25. fruit-like breath odor
  26. general feeling of illness
  27. headache
  28. hoarseness
  29. increased hunger
  30. increased thirst
  31. increased urination
  32. lower back or side pain
  33. nausea
  34. nightmares
  35. painful or difficult urination
  36. pale skin
  37. pinpoint red spots on the skin
  38. pus in the urine
  39. runny nose
  40. seizures
  41. shakiness
  42. slurred speech
  43. sore throat
  44. sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
  45. sweating
  46. swollen glands
  47. tender, swollen glands in the neck
  48. trouble with swallowing
  49. troubled breathing with exertion
  50. unexplained weight loss
  51. unusual bleeding or bruising
  52. unusual tiredness or weakness
  53. voice changes
  54. vomiting

Rare

  1. Burning while urinating
  2. burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
  3. change in color vision
  4. continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
  5. convulsions
  6. decrease in frequency of urination
  7. decrease in urine volume
  8. decreased hearing or any change in hearing
  9. difficult or painful urination
  10. difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
  11. difficulty seeing at night
  12. difficulty with moving
  13. discouragement
  14. dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
  15. false or unusual sense of well-being
  16. fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
  17. feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
  18. feeling of warmth or heat
  19. feeling sad or empty
  20. flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
  21. hearing loss
  22. hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
  23. increased need to urinate
  24. increased sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight
  25. increased sweating
  26. irritability
  27. joint pain
  28. lack of appetite
  29. large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
  30. loss of bladder control
  31. loss of interest or pleasure
  32. muscle aching or cramping
  33. muscle pains or stiffness
  34. muscle spasm or jerking of all extremities
  35. no blood pressure or pulse
  36. no breathing
  37. passing urine more often
  38. pounding in the ears
  39. redness, soreness, or itching skin
  40. seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
  41. sensation of spinning
  42. shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet
  43. slow or fast heartbeat
  44. sores, welting, or blisters
  45. stopping of the heart
  46. sudden loss of consciousness
  47. swelling
  48. swollen joints
  49. trembling or shaking of the hands or feet
  50. trouble concentrating
  51. trouble performing routine tasks
  52. trouble sleeping
  53. unconsciousness

Incidence not known

  1. Abdominal or stomach tenderness
  2. actions that are out of control
  3. back, leg, or stomach pains
  4. blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
  5. bloating
  6. blue lips and fingernails
  7. burning, dry, or itching eyes
  8. changes in behavior
  9. confusion about identity, place, and time
  10. coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
  11. coughing up blood
  12. cracks in the skin
  13. crying
  14. dark-colored urine
  15. darkening of the skin
  16. delusions of persecution, mistrust, suspiciousness, and/or combativeness
  17. depersonalization
  18. diarrhea, watery and severe, which may also be bloody
  19. difficulty with breathing, chewing, speaking, or swallowing
  20. discharge or excessive tearing
  21. double vision
  22. drooling
  23. drooping eyelids
  24. dysphoria
  25. euphoria
  26. feeling of discomfort
  27. general body swelling
  28. heartburn
  29. high fever
  30. hyperventilation
  31. increased blood pressure
  32. increased menstrual flow or vaginal bleeding
  33. increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
  34. increased sweating
  35. indigestion
  36. inflammation of the joints
  37. irregular heartbeats
  38. irregular or slow heart rate
  39. itching of the vagina or outside the genitals
  40. loss of ability to use or understand speech or language
  41. loss of appetite
  42. loss of balance control
  43. loss of heat from the body
  44. mental depression
  45. mood or mental changes
  46. muscle weakness
  47. noisy breathing
  48. nosebleeds
  49. numbness of the hands
  50. pain during sexual intercourse
  51. pain in the ankles or knees
  52. pain, inflammation, or swelling in the calves, shoulders, or hands
  53. painful, red lumps under the skin, mostly on the legs
  54. paralysis
  55. prolonged bleeding from cuts
  56. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  57. quick to react or overreact emotionally
  58. rapidly changing moods
  59. red or black, tarry stools
  60. red or dark brown urine
  61. red skin lesions, often with a purple center
  62. red, irritated eyes
  63. red, swollen skin
  64. redness or other discoloration of the skin
  65. redness, pain, or swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid
  66. restlessness
  67. scaly skin
  68. severe abdominal or stomach pain, cramping, or burning
  69. severe sunburn
  70. severe tiredness
  71. shaking
  72. shuffling walk
  73. stiffness of the limbs
  74. stomach pain, continuing
  75. swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs
  76. swollen lymph glands
  77. talking, feeling, and acting with excitement
  78. thick, white, curd-like vaginal discharge without odor or with mild odor
  79. thoughts of killing oneself
  80. twisting movements of the body
  81. uncontrolled eye movements
  82. uncontrolled movements, especially of the face, neck, and back
  83. unexplained bleeding or bruising
  84. unpleasant breath odor
  85. unsteadiness or awkwardness
  86. unusual behavior, such as disorientation to time or place, failure to recognize people, hyperactivity, or restlessness, especially in children using 2% cyclopentolate
  87. unusual weight loss
  88. upper right abdominal or stomach pain
  89. vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
  90. weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
  91. weight gain
  92. yellowing of the eyes or skin

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

  1. Change in taste
  2. excess air or gas in the stomach or intestines
  3. full feeling
  4. loss of taste
  5. passing gas
  6. runny nose

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.