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What Is Moxifloxacin Used For?
Moxifloxacin is used for treating a wide variety of bacterial infections, including sinus infections, pneumonia, and bronchitis. It is a "broad-spectrum" antibiotic, meaning it is effective against many different types of bacteria. The medication can also be used off-label to prevent (instead of treat) any type of infection. At this time, there are no moxifloxacin uses approved for children.
from eMedTV.comMoxifloxacin (Avelox®) is an antibiotic used to treat several different types of infections in adults, including:
- Abdominal infections
- Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
- Sinus infections
- Skin infections.
Moxifloxacin is approved for treating these infections only when they are caused by certain types of bacteria. Some bacteria do not respond to the medication. Also, bacteria have different resistance patterns in different regions across the country. This means that some bacteria may be susceptible to moxifloxacin in certain parts of the country, but not in others. Like all antibiotics, moxifloxacin is completely ineffective for treating viral illnesses, such as the common cold or the flu.
Moxifloxacin is a "broad-spectrum" antibiotic, which means it is effective against a wide variety of different types of bacteria. It is often used to treat an infection while tests are being done to see which antibiotics are effective for treating a specific infection. If the results of such tests show that an antibiotic with a narrower spectrum of activity will be effective, your healthcare provider may choose to switch you to such an antibiotic. Doing so may help limit antibacterial resistance, since overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics may increase the risk of developing bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD