The FDA added a black box warning to the entire fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics on 7/8/08. More disturbing, I just received a letter in the mail this week notifying me of this change. None of the drug reps mentioned this. No mention was made at the international allergy convention I attended last week either. I have not read about this in any of the journals I read. This fact was not brought up in any of the pharmacy committee meetings or that I attend.The fluoroquinolones drugs can increase the risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture -- which is about 1 in 100,000 -- by three to four times, according to the FDA's Dr. Renata Albrecht.
"This risk is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy," the FDA said in a statement.Members of the quinoloneclass of antibioitics include: Avelox, Ciprofloxacin, Factive, Floxin, Levaquin, Noroxin, and Proquin. Care should be taken. Personally, I have experience with fluoroquinolones since 1989 and I have never seen a case of tendonitis or tendon rupture attributable from useage. I also hope this trend continues. I reserve use of fluoroquinolones for cases of severe respiratory infection, evidence of antibiotic resistent bacteria, or persistent infection despite prior use of 1-2 courses of relatively milder strength antibiotics.For a discussion of other medications used in the field of allergy and asthma that have black box warnings, go tohttp://kaoallergyasthma.blogspot.com/search/label/Black%20Box%20Warnings%20with%.
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The fluoroquinolones drugs can increase the risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture -- which is about 1 in 100,000 -- by three to four times, according to the FDA's Dr. Renata Albrecht.
"This risk is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy," the FDA said in a statement.
Members of the quinoloneclass of antibioitics include: Avelox, Ciprofloxacin, Factive, Floxin, Levaquin, Noroxin, and Proquin. Care should be taken. Personally, I have experience with fluoroquinolones since 1989 and I have never seen a case of tendonitis or tendon rupture attributable from useage. I also hope this trend continues. I reserve use of fluoroquinolones for cases of severe respiratory infection, evidence of antibiotic resistent bacteria, or persistent infection despite prior use of 1-2 courses of relatively milder strength antibiotics.
For a discussion of other medications used in the field of allergy and asthma that have black box warnings, go to
http://kaoallergyasthma.blogspot.com/search/label/Black%20Box%20Warnings%20with%.