Ofloxacin - Medical Uses

Medical Uses

Oral and I.V. Floxin is not licensed by the FDA for use in children due to the risk of serious reversible and irreversible injury to the musculoskeletal system. Other fluoroquinolones do have a limited licensed uses in children but are generally not recommended due to safety concerns. Ofloxacin (and its derivatives) has also been associated with a few isolated reports of unexplained pediatric fatalities. Children (those under 18) are also at an increased risk of bone, joint, or tendon toxicities.

Prescribing ofloxacin in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of severe adverse drug reactions.

In the adult population ofloxacin is limited to the treatment of proven serious and life threatening bacterial infections such as:

• Acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis

• Community-acquired pneumonia

• Uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections

• Nongonococcal urethritis and cervicitis

• Mixed Infections of the urethra and cervix

• Acute pelvic inflammatory disease

• Uncomplicated cystitis

• Complicated urinary tract infections

• Prostatitis

• Acute, uncomplicated urethral and cervical gonorrhea.

Ofloxacin has not been shown to be effective in the treatment of syphilis. Floxin is now considered to be contraindicated for the treatment of certain sexually transmitted diseases by some experts due to bacterial resistance.