Infectious and inflammatory diseases can occur in any system of the human body (genitourinary, respiratory, skin integuments, soft tissues, etc.). However, the use of various drugs is optional. For the treatment of such pathologies, one universal drug is often used, which allows you to stop the inflammatory reaction or infection. One such common medication is Levolet. Analogs, instructions for use, reviews on the therapeutic effect of this medication will be discussed later.
Release form, packaging and description of the drug
In what dosage form is the medicine "Levolet" made? Instructions for use informs that this product goes on sale in the form of biconvex, capsular, white or almost white tablets, which are coated with a film coating. They are placed in blisters of 10 pieces and packed in cardboard boxes.
The pharmaceutical composition of the tablets
According to the instructions for use, Levolet tablets contain such an active component as levofloxacin hemihydrate. Also, the composition of this medicine includes additional ingredients in the form of microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch, colloidal silicon dioxide, crospovidone, hypromellose, magnesium stearate.
As for the film coating on which the tablets are coated, it consists of titanium dioxide, white opadra and macrogol.
Pharmacological properties of the drug
What are Levolet tablets (500 mg)? Instructions for use reports that this is an antibacterial drug that belongs to the group of fluoroquinolones and has a wide spectrum of action. Such pharmacological properties of the drug are explained by the presence of an active substance in it - levofloxacin. This component is able to act on topoisomerase IV and the DNA gyrase complex, as well as disrupt DNA cross-linking and DNA supercoiling, inhibit its synthesis, and cause serious morphological changes in the cell wall, cytoplasm and membranes.
The instructions for use of "Levolet" said that this medicine is highly active against most aerobic gram-positive, aerobic gram-negative, anaerobic and other microorganisms.
Pharmacokinetic features of the drug
How long is Levolet (500 mg) absorbed? Instructions for use states that the absorption of this medicine after oral administration occurs very quickly (from the gastrointestinal tract) and almost in full. The maximum concentration of the drug in the patient’s blood is achieved after 1-2 hours, and its absolute bioavailability is 99-100%.
It should be especially noted that food intake does not affect the absorption of levofloxacin into plasma.
A stable concentration of the drug is achieved within two days after its administration in a dose of 500 mg once or twice a day.
Distribution, biological transformation, penetration and excretion of an antibacterial drug
Approximately 30-40% of the active substance of the drug in question binds to plasma protein. However, its average distribution volume is about 100 l after taking a single or repeated dosage of 500 mg. This fact indicates an extensive distribution of the drug in the tissues of the body.
The drug "Levolet", the instruction of which should be studied by the patient before taking the tablets, is almost completely metabolized in the liver and forms substances such as levofloxacin N-oxide and desmethyl-levofloxacin. They contain less than 5% of the dose and are excreted in the urine.
In the course of studies, it was proved that the active substance of Levolet is able to penetrate the bronchial mucosa, lung tissue, epithelial lining fluid, prostate tissue, alveolar macrophages, urine and skin (interstitial fluid). However, one cannot fail to say that levofloxacin enters the spinal cord rather poorly.
How long is Levolet removed from the human body? Instructions for use states that the elimination of this drug from plasma occurs relatively slowly, within 6-8 hours. Moreover, the output of more than 85% of the dose is carried out through the kidneys.
Features of admission in special cases
Use the medication in question for people with kidney failure should be with extreme caution. This is due to the fact that such a disease affects the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin. In other words, with reduced kidney function, the process of excretion of the drug decreases.
As for elderly patients, as well as gender differences in the use of this drug, there are no significant differences in the pharmacokinetic capabilities of levofloxacin in such cases.
Indications for taking pills
In what cases can the patient be prescribed the antibiotic Levolet? The instruction for use claims that such a medicine is highly effective in infectious and inflammatory diseases that were caused by pathogens sensitive to levofloxacin.
Thus, the following pathological conditions can be attributed to the use of the drug in question:
- community-acquired pneumonia;
- acute bacterial sinusitis;
- urinary tract infections complicated, including pyelonephritis;
- infections (complicated) of soft tissues and skin.
Prohibitions for appointment
When can’t you use Levolet tablets? Instructions for use contain the following contraindications:
- epilepsy;
- impaired renal function;
- pregnancy period;
- tendon lesions that have been associated with quinolone intake;
- age up to 18 years;
- pseudoparalytic myasthenia gravis;
- hypersensitivity to levofloxacin, other quinolones, as well as any of the additional ingredients of the drug;
- period of breastfeeding.
Cautious medication
With extreme caution, the drug in question is prescribed:
- people who are simultaneously taking drugs that lower the threshold for convulsive readiness of the brain;
- with pathologies of the central nervous system;
- patients with manifest or latent glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency;
- patients with a history of psychiatric illness or psychosis;
- patients with impaired renal function;
- people with diabetes who receive oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin;
- people with severe reactions to other fluoroquinolones;
- if there are risk factors for prolongation of the QT interval.
Tablets "Levolet": instructions for use
Analogues of this drug may have other dosages, contraindications, methods of administration and adverse reactions. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the medicine in question with medicines that are similar in pharmacological effect only after consulting a doctor.
Levolet tablets must be taken orally once a day. The drug should not be chewed. It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids.
The antibacterial medicine Levolet can be taken before meals, as well as at any convenient time between meals. However, it is undesirable to use it at least two hours or two hours after taking antacid medicines, which contain salts of iron, magnesium or aluminum.
The prescribed dosages of Levolet tablets are determined by the severity and nature of the infection, as well as the sensitivity of the pathogen.
It is highly recommended not to exceed the dose recommended by your doctor.
The duration of therapy with the drug in question depends on the course of the disease.
Adverse reactions
What side effects should a patient know before buying Levolet? Instructions for use and reviews report that there are plenty of such remedies. These include the following:
- leukopenia, hemolytic anemia, eosinophilia, pancytopenia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia;
- ventricular tachycardia, sinus tachycardia, decreased blood pressure, palpitations, prolonged QT interval, ventricular rhythm disturbances;
- fainting, headache, ageusia, dizziness, parosmia, drowsiness, dyskinesia, tremors, extrapyramidal disorders, dysgeusia, peripheral sensory neuropathy, paresthesia, benign intracranial hypertension, convulsions;
- visual impairment, transient loss of vision, blurry visible image, uveitis;
- depression, anxiety, agitation, anxiety, nightmares, confusion, sleep disturbances, mental disorders, suicidal thoughts;
- shortness of breath, bronchospasm, allergic pneumonitis;
- vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, hearing loss;
- diarrhea, stomatitis, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, flatulence, anorexia, constipation, dyspepsia, hemorrhagic diarrhea, pancreatitis, hepatitis;
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome, rash, photosensitivity reactions, pruritus, leukocytoclastic vasculitis; urticaria, epidermal toxic necrolysis, hyperhidrosis;
- acute renal failure, an increase in the concentration of creatinine in the blood;
- myalgia, muscle rupture, arthralgia, tendon damage, ligament rupture, arthritis;
- fungal infections;
- hypoglycemia, hypoglycemic coma, hyperglycemia;
- anaphylactoid shock, angioedema;
- attacks of porphyria;
- asthenia, pyrexia.
Similar drugs
The analogues of the Levolet drug for the active substance include such drugs as Ivacin, Flexid, Levoflox, Ekolevid, Glevo, Tanflomed, Levofloxabol, Remedia, Leflobact and Levox. It should be recalled that the properties and dosages of the listed funds may differ from those discussed above. Therefore, their appointment should be prescribed only by a specialist.
Reviews about the drug
There are many reports of patients about Levolet tablets on the World Wide Web. However, their opinions on the effectiveness of this drug are shared. On the one hand, the reviews have many positive points regarding the cost of the medication. Patients claim that the price of this drug is quite budgetary. On the other hand, an impressive number of people are afraid to take such an inexpensive drug due to the presence of a huge list of adverse reactions.
Experts say that Levolet tablets are a fairly effective drug that can cure almost any infectious and inflammatory disease in a short time. In practical medicine, these words are confirmed.