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When did you take Levaquin?
 
Did you suffer any of the following:
Tendonitis
 Tendon Rupture
 
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(Please describe your tendon injury):

Levaquin and Other Antibiotics Increase Risk of Tendon Ruptures

Levaquin Drug Attorney

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are a relatively new category of drugs that was first made available in the 1980s.

This type of antibiotics is used to treat a broad spectrum of bacterial infections including some kinds of urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, respiratory infections and other types of infections. They are often prescribed because they require fewer doses of medication per day and often fewer days of medication overall to treat difficult infections that may be resistant to other types of antibiotics. Fluoroquinolone are FDA approved for use in adults over the age of 18.

What Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are FDA approved?

The FDA has approved several Fluoroquinolone antibiotics including:

  • Cipro (generic is ciprofloxacin) manufactured by Bayer
  • Cipro XR and ProQuin XR (ciprofloxacin extended release)
  • Levaquin (generic Levoflaxin) manufactured by Ortho-McNeil a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson
  • Floxin (generic is ofloxacin)
  • Noroxin (generic is norfloxacin)
  • Factive (generic is gemifloxacin)
  • Avelox (generic is moxifloxacin)

Contact Our Levaquin Class Action Lawyers Today »

Are There Any Side Effects Associated with Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics?

Yes, there are significant side effects associated with Fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The most serious of those side effects has resulted in an FDA black box warning that the FDA informed manufacturers of in July 2008. That warning addresses the concern of tendon rupture during and after the use of Fluoroquinolone antibiotics. All of the drugs listed above were specifically named by the FDA as requiring both a black box warning and medication guide for patients.

Tendon ruptures can happen to any patient who is taking or has recently taken a Fluoroquinolone antibiotic. While there are risk factors such as being over 60, being male, having had a kidney, heart or lung transplant and taking corticosteroid drugs, all Fluoroquinolone patients are at risk of developing this serious side effect.

Tendon ruptures can be painful, require extensive surgeries and rehabilitation and result in permanent disabilities. Therefore, users of all Fluoroquinolone antibiotics need to be aware of the risk so that they, together with their individual physicians, can decide if the benefits are worth the potential risks of the drug. It is also important for manufacturers of Fluoroquinolone antibiotics to warn patients of the potential danger of tendon rupture so that patients can seek prompt medical treatment for any symptoms of tendon rupture such as pain, swelling or a pop or snap noise at the site of the tendon.

Do You Have a Levaquin Injury Lawsuit? »

If you, or a loved one, have suffered a tendon rupture injury because of a Fluoroquinolone antibiotic then it is important to contact a pharmaceutical litigation attorney to discuss your legal rights.