Who can administer
May be administered by registered competent doctor or nurse/midwife
Important information
- Red-light antimicrobial: requires pre-authorisation by Microbiology or ID prior to use 24 hours / 7 days a week
- Consider intravenous to oral switch as soon as possible as excellent oral bioavailability (91%)
- 400mg intravenous is equivalent to 400mg orally
- There are numerous important interactions - check latest BNF
- Caution (ref 1)
- Quinolones may be associated with side effects relating to musculoskeletal, peripheral and central nervous systems, some of which may be serious, disabling and potentially permanent
- Quinolones should be used with special caution in the elderly, patients with kidney disease, those who have had an organ transplantation or in patients being treated concomitantly with corticosteroids. These patients are at a higher risk of tendon injury
- Patients should be informed of the risks and advised to stop treatment and contact prescriber if they experience pain or swelling in tendons / joints /muscle or neuropathy
- QT prolongation may occur- should not be used with other drugs that may cause QT prolongation
Available preparations
Avelox 400mg per 250ml infusion
Reconstitution
Already in solution
Infusion fluids
Not required - product ready for infusion
Methods of intravenous administration
Intermittent intravenous infusion
- Administer over 60 minutes
Dose in adults
Usual dose
Renal impairment
- No dose adjustment required
Hepatic impairment
- Contraindicated in impaired liver function (Child Pugh C) and in patients with transaminases increases greater than five fold above upper limit of normal. Child-Pugh classification applies to patients with cirrhosis. If the patient has hepatic impairment but does not have cirrhosis, dosage adjustment should be discussed with Micro/ID
Storage
- Store below 250C
- Do not refrigerate or freeze
References
SPC March 2021
1: AST email 25/01/2019
Therapeutic classification
Quinolone antimicrobial
