Factive (Gemifloxacin Mesylate) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

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May 26, 2012

Factive

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What is the common cold, and what causes it?

The common cold is a self-limited contagious illness that can be caused by a number of different types of viruses. The common cold is medically referred to as a viral upper respiratory tract infection. Symptoms of the common cold may include cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. More than 200 different types of viruses are known to cause the common cold, with rhinovirus causing approximately 30%-35% of all adult colds. Other commonly implicated viruses include coronavirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus. Because so many different viruses can cause a cold and because new cold viruses constantly develop, the body never builds up resistance against all of them. For this reason, colds are a frequent and recurring problem. In fact, children in preschool and elementary school can have six to 12 colds per year while adolescents and adults typically have two...

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FACTIVE®
(gemifloxacin mesylate) Tablets

WARNING

Fluoroquinolones, including FACTIVE®, are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in all ages. This risk is further increased in older patients usually over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants (See WARNINGS). Fluoroquinolones, including FACTIVE, may exacerbate muscle weakness in persons with myasthenia gravis. Avoid FACTIVE in patients with known history of myasthenia gravis (See WARNINGS).

To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of FACTIVE and other antibacterial drugs, FACTIVE should be used only to treat infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria.

DRUG DESCRIPTION

FACTIVE (gemifloxacin mesylate) is a synthetic broad-spectrum antibacterial agent for oral administration. Gemifloxacin, a compound related to the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, is available as the mesylate salt in the sesquihydrate form. Chemically, gemifloxacin is (R,S)-7[(4Z)-3-(aminomethyl)-4-(methoxyimino)-1-pyrrolidinyl]-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylic acid.

The mesylate salt is a white to light brown solid with a molecular weight of 485.49. Gemifloxacin is considered freely soluble at neutral pH (350 μg/mL at 37°C, pH 7.0). Its empirical formula is C₁₈H₂₀FN₅O₄•CH₄O₃S and its chemical structure is:

FACTIVE® (gemifloxacin mesylate) Structural Formula Illustration

Each white to off-white, oval, film-coated FACTIVE tablet has breaklines and GE 320 debossed on both faces and contains gemifloxacin mesylate equivalent to 320 mg gemifloxacin. The inactive ingredients are crospovidone, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, povidone, and titanium dioxide.

What are the possible side effects of gemifloxacin (Factive)?

Stop using gemifloxacin and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using gemifloxacin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeat;
sudden pain, snapping or popping sound, bruising, loss of movement, or swelling near your joints (especially in your arm or ankle);
diarrhea that is watery or...

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What are the precautions when taking gemifloxacin mesylate (Factive)?

Before using gemifloxacin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other quinolone antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: diabetes, heart problems (e.g., slow/fast/irregular heartbeat, chest pain, recent heart attack), joint/tendon problems (e.g., tendonitis, bursitis), kidney disease, myasthenia gravis, nervous system disorder (e.g., peripheral neuropathy), seizure disorder, conditions that increase your risk of seizures (e.g., brain/head injury, brain tumors, cerebral...

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Last reviewed on RxList: 10/27/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.