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

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February 9, 2012

Factive

Acute Bronchitis »

What is acute bronchitis?

Air is pulled into the lungs when we breathe, initially passing through the mouth, nose, and larynx (voicebox) into the trachea and continues en route to each lung via either the right or left bronchi (the bronchial tree - bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli). Bronchi are formed as the lower part of the trachea divides into two tubes that lead to the lungs. As the bronchi get farther away from the trachea, each bronchial tube divides and gets smaller (resembling an inverted tree) to provide the air to lung tissue so that it can transfer oxygen to the blood stream and remove carbon dioxide (the waste product of metabolism).

Bronchitis describes inflammation of the bronchial tubes (inflammation = itis). The inflammation causes swelling of the lining of these breathing tubes, narrowing the tubes and promoting secretion of inflammatory fluid.

Acute bronchitis describes the inflammation of the bronchi u...

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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...

Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Factive »

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...

Read All Potential Precautions of Factive »

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