Types of medicine
What Is a Fluoroquinolone? Its Boxed Warning Explained
Fluoroquinolone · say it: FLOOR-oh-KWIN-oh-lohnAlso written: fluoroquinolones, quinolone antibiotic, quinolones
Short answer
A fluoroquinolone is a type of antibiotic, such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin, whose label carries warnings about tendons, nerves and mood.
What it means
Fluoroquinolones are a group of antibiotics that stop bacteria from copying their DNA. Their names usually end in '-floxacin', such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. They are used for some urinary, chest and other bacterial infections, and do not work against viruses.
In the US their label has a boxed warning about serious side effects that can happen together and may be long-lasting: tendinitis and tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), and effects on the brain and mood. The risk of tendon problems is higher in older people, people taking corticosteroids and people with kidney, heart or lung transplants. They can also worsen myasthenia gravis. Because of this, they are often kept for cases where other antibiotics are not suitable.
Labels advise stopping and contacting your doctor if you get tendon pain, numbness or tingling, or unusual mood changes. They can also interact with antacids and some minerals, and affect blood sugar.
Where you may see it
- Boxed warning at the top of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin labels
- Medication guides given with these prescriptions
- Culture and sensitivity reports
📄 How it looks on a report
Fluoroquinolones have been associated with disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions, including tendinitis, tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathy and CNS effects.
🙅 What it does not mean
- The boxed warning does not mean these effects are common; they are rare but serious.
- It does not mean you should stop the antibiotic without talking to your prescriber, unless you have a warning symptom.
- Tendon problems can start days or even months after the course, not only during it.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Fluoroquinolone”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Fluoroquinolone”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Ciprofloxacin
a fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicine
- Glipizide
a blood-sugar-lowering medicine of the sulfonylurea type
- Levofloxacin
an antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone type
- Prednisone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine that works like the adrenocortical (adrenal gland) steroids the body makes naturally
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Fluoroquinolone” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “fluoroquinolone”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.