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" What is it used for?  Bacterial infections of the lungs and airways (chest or lower respiratory tract infections). Bacterial infections of skin or soft tissue (soft tissue is underneath the skin and includes muscle). Bacterial infections of the urinary tract, including kidney infections (pyelonephritis), cystitis and chronic prostatitis. Inflammation of the urethra or cervix that is not caused by gonorrhoea (non-gonococcal urethritis or cervicitis). Gonorrhoea. Bacterial infections of the blood (septicaemia or blood poisoning) - given as a drip into a vein for this purpose.   How does it work? Tarivid tablets and infusion contain the active ingredient ofloxacin, which is a type of medicine called a quinolone antibiotic. Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. (NB. Ofloxacin is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.)  Ofloxacin works by killing the bacteria that are causing an infection. It does this by entering the bacterial cells and inhibiting a bacterial enzyme called DNA-gyrase. This enzyme is involved in replicating and repairing the genetic material (DNA) of the bacteria. If this enzyme doesn&amp;#039;t work, the bacteria cannot reproduce or repair themselves and this kills the bacteria. Ofloxacin is effective against a large number of bacteria and is used to treat infections of the chest, urinary tract, skin and sexual organs. It is given by a drip into a vein (intravenous infusion) to treat more serious infections, and is also given this way to treat blood poisoning (septicaemia). To make sure the bacteria causing an infection are susceptible to ofloxacin your doctor may take a tissue sample, for example a swab from the skin, or a urine, sputum or blood sample.    How do I take it?  The dose of this medicine, how often it needs to be taken and how long it needs to be taken for depends on the type and severity of infection you have and your kidney function. Follow the instructions given by your doctor. These will be printed on the dispensing label that your pharmacist has put on the packet of medicine.  Ofloxacin tablets should be swallowed with liquid. They can be taken either with or without food. Try to take them at regular intervals. Don&amp;#039;t take indigestion remedies (antacids), sucralfate, zinc or iron preparations within two hours of taking ofloxacin, as these medicines can stop the antibiotic being absorbed into the bloodstream properly. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the antibiotic.   Warning!  This medicine may cause various side effects that could reduce your ability to drive or operate machinery safely. Some of these side effects may be enhanced by drinking alcohol. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medicine affects you and you are sure it won&amp;#039;t affect your performance. Avoid exposing your skin to excessive sunlight, sunlamps or sunbeds while taking ofloxacin, as it may increase the sensitivity of your skin to UV light. If you get a rash or other skin reaction on exposure to sunlight you should stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor. Treatment with antibiotics can sometimes cause overgrowth of other organisms that are not susceptible to the antibiotic, for example fungi or yeasts such as Candida. This may sometimes cause infections such as thrush. Tell your doctor if you think you have developed a new infection during or after taking this antibiotic.  Broad-spectrum antibiotics can sometimes cause inflammation of the bowel (colitis). For this reason, if you get diarrhoea that becomes severe or persistent or contains blood or mucus, either during or after taking this medicine, you should consult your doctor immediately. Quinolone antibiotics may rarely cause tendon inflammation (tendinitis) and tendon rupture. People aged over 60, people who have had a kidney, heart, or lung transplant and those taking corticosteroid medication are most at risk of this. You should stop taking this medicine immediately if you experience any pain or inflammation in your joints during treatment. Rest the affected limb(s) and consult a doctor immediately.   Use with caution in  People over 60 years of age. People using corticosteroid medicines. People who have had a kidney, heart, or lung transplant. Decreased kidney function. Severely decreased liver function. History of convulsions (fits), eg epilepsy. People with conditions that increase the risk of seizures. Abnormal muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis).  People who a lack an enzyme called G6PD in their blood. History of psychiatric illness. Heart disease. People with a personal or family history of an abnormal heart rhythm seen on a heart monitoring trace (ECG) as a &amp;#039;prolonged QT interval&amp;#039;. People with a very slow heart rate (bradycardia). People with disturbances in the levels of salts in their blood, in particular low levels of potassium or magnesium (hypokalaemia or hypomagnesaemia).   Not to be used in  Children who have not yet reached puberty. Growing adolescents. Allergy to other quinolone-type antibiotics, eg ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin. People with a history of tendon disorders caused by previous treatment with a quinolone-type antibiotic. Tarivid tablets contain lactose and are not suitable for people with rare hereditary disorders of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.  This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.   Pregnancy and breastfeeding Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.  This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnancy. This is because ofloxacin has been shown to cause joint disease in immature animals and may therefore have this effect in humans. There are usually safer alternative antibiotics available. Seek medical advice from your doctor.  Ofloxacin may pass into breast milk. It is not recommended for use during breastfeeding, as there are usually safer alternative antibiotics available. Seek medical advice from your doctor.    Side effects Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.  Uncommon (affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people)  Fungal infections. Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea. Headache. Dizziness. Agitation. Disturbed sleep or difficulty sleeping. Eye irritation. Rash. Itching (pruritus).   Rare (affect between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10,000 people)  Loss of appetite. Confusion. Anxiety. Depression. Tell your doctor straight away if you notice any change in your mood, feelings or thoughts while taking this medicine. Hallucinations. Nightmares. Drowsiness. Increased heart rate (tachycardia). Disturbances in taste or smell. Visual disturbances. Shortness of breath. Low blood pressure. Sweating. Pins and needles, burning or numb sensations. Tell your doctor straight away if you notice any strange sensations while taking this medicine. Tendon inflammation (see warning section above).   Very rare (affect less than 1 in 10,000 people)  Disturbances in the numbers of blood cells in the blood. Abnormal reaction of the skin the light (photosensitivity - see warning section above). Other severe skin reactions. Consult your doctor immediately if you get a severe rash, skin peeling, or painful blisters in the mouth/nose or genitals while taking this medicine. Tendon rupture (see warning section above). Disorders of peripheral nerves, causing strange sensations or muscle weakness. Tell your doctor straight away if you notice any strange sensations or weakness while taking this medicine. Joint or muscle pain. Convulsions. Tremor. Hearing problems, including tinnitus.  Inflammation of the bowel lining (colitis - see warning section above).  Liver or kidney disorders. Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms while taking this medicine, as they may suggest a problem with your liver: rapidly feeling weak or unwell, unexplained itching, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice) or unusually dark urine. Psychotic reactions.  The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine&amp;#039;s manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.   How can this medicine affect other medicines? It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.  The following medicines may reduce the absorption of ofloxacin from the gut, which could make it less effective. If you are taking medicines containing any of the following ingredients they should be taken at least two hours before or after your ofloxacin dose:  antacids for indigestion or heartburn  iron supplements, eg ferrous sulphate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous fumarate medicines containing magnesium, aluminium, zinc or iron sucralfate Videx chewable/dispersible tablets (these contain an antacid) zinc supplements.  Strontium ranelate may also reduce the absorption of ofloxacin from the gut and could make it less effective. If you are taking strontium for osteoporosis its manufacturer recommends that you stop taking it temporarily while you are taking a course of ofloxacin. If ofloxacin is used in combination with any of the following medicines there may be an increased risk of seizures (fits):   theophylline non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as indometacin, fenbufen, naproxen.   Ofloxacin may enhance the anti-blood-clotting effect of anticoagulant medicines such as warfarin. As this may increase the risk of bleeding, your blood clotting time (INR) should be monitored more frequently if you are taking ofloxacin with an anticoagulant. There may be an increased chance of abnormal heart rhythms (&amp;#039;prolonged QT interval&amp;#039; on a heart monitoring trace or ECG) if this medicine is taken in combination with other medicines that can increase the risk of this, for example those listed below:  atomoxetine medicines to treat abnormal heart rhythms (antiarrhythmics), eg amiodarone, procainamide, quinidine, disopyramide, sotalol  the antihistamines astemizole, terfenadine or mizolastine  certain antipsychotics, eg thioridazine, chlorpromazine, sertindole, haloperidol, pimozide certain antimalarials, eg halofantrine, chloroquine, quinine, Riamet, mefloquine  certain antimicrobials, eg erythromycin, clarithromycin, voriconazole, moxifloxacin or pentamidine  cisapride.  Oral typhoid vaccine (Vivotif) should not be taken until at least three days after you have finished a course of this antibiotic, because the antibiotic could make the vaccine less effective. In the past, women using hormonal contraception such as the pill or patch would be advised to use an extra method of contraception (eg condoms) while having treatment with an antibiotic like this one and for seven days after finishing the course. However, this advice has now changed. You no longer need to use an extra method of contraception with the pill, patch or vaginal ring while you have a course of antibiotics. This change in advice comes because to date there is no evidence to prove that antibiotics (other than rifampicin or rifabutin) affect these contraceptives. This is the latest guidance from the Faculty of Sexual &amp;amp; Reproductive Healthcare.  However, if you are taking the contraceptive pill and experience vomiting or diarrhoea as a result of treatment with this antibiotic, you should follow the instructions for vomiting and diarrhoea described in the leaflet provided with your pills.    Other medicines containing the same active ingredient    Exocin eye drops      Ofloxacin tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.  Last updated 08.06.2011 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/infections/a7616/tarivid-ofloxacin/>