From the Guidelines
Levaquin (levofloxacin) for pneumonia is recommended at a dose of 750 mg daily. This recommendation is based on the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of adults with community-acquired pneumonia 1.
Key Considerations
- The duration of treatment may vary from 5 to 14 days depending on the severity of the pneumonia and the patient's response to treatment.
- For patients with comorbidities or risk factors for antibiotic-resistant pathogens, combination therapy or alternative antibiotics may be considered.
- It is essential to note that levofloxacin is a respiratory fluoroquinolone, and its use should be guided by local resistance patterns and patient-specific factors.
Patient Instructions
- Patients should be advised to take the medication with plenty of water and complete the full course even if they start feeling better.
- They should also be informed about potential side effects, such as tendon pain, severe diarrhea, or allergic reactions, and instructed to report these immediately.
- Additionally, patients should be told to take levofloxacin at least 2 hours before or after antacids, iron, or multivitamins to avoid reduced absorption.
Special Populations
- Elderly patients or those with kidney impairment may require dose adjustments, which should be based on creatinine clearance 1.
- The guidelines recommend a strong recommendation for levofloxacin 750 mg daily as monotherapy for outpatient adults with comorbidities, with moderate quality of evidence 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
2.1 Dosage of Levofloxacin Tablets
Levofloxacin tablets can be administered at the following doses:
- Nosocomial Pneumonia
- 750 mg every 24 hours for 7 to 14 days
- Community Acquired Pneumonia
- 500 mg every 24 hours for 7 to 14 days or
- 750 mg every 24 hours for 5 days
The recommended dose of Levaquin (levofloxacin) for pneumonia is:
- Nosocomial Pneumonia: 750 mg every 24 hours for 7 to 14 days
- Community-Acquired Pneumonia:
- 500 mg every 24 hours for 7 to 14 days
- 750 mg every 24 hours for 5 days 2
From the Research
Levaquin Dose for Pneumonia
- The recommended dose of Levaquin (levofloxacin) for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is 750 mg once daily for 5 days 3, 4, 5.
- This high-dose, short-course regimen is approved for use in the US and has been shown to be effective in treating CAP, including cases caused by atypical pathogens 4.
- The 750-mg dose has been compared to a 500-mg dose for 10 days and has been found to be noninferior in terms of efficacy and tolerability 3, 4.
- Levaquin can be used as monotherapy for CAP, but combination therapy with an anti-pseudomonal beta-lactam or aminoglycoside may be necessary if Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the causative pathogen 5, 6, 7.
- The efficacy and tolerability of Levaquin have been established in several studies, including a multicenter, open-label, randomized comparison of levofloxacin and azithromycin plus ceftriaxone in hospitalized adults with moderate to severe CAP 6, 7.