Fetroja vs. Levaquin

• Are Levaquin and Fetroja the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Fetroja?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Levaquin?
• What is Fetroja?
• What is Levaquin?
• What Drugs Interact with Fetroja?
• What Drugs Interact with Levaquin?
• How Should Fetroja Be Taken?
• How Should Levaquin Be Taken?

Fetroja (cefiderocol) and Levaquin (levofloxacin) are antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Fetroja is used to treat complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis caused by susceptible Gram-negative microorganisms.

Levaquin is also used to treat several types of bacterial infections.

Fetroja and Levaquin are different types of antibiotics. Fetroja is a cephalosporin antibiotic and Levaquin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic.

Side effects of Fetroja and Levaquin that are similar include diarrhea, constipation, rash, headache, nausea, and vomiting.

Side effects of Fetroja that are different from Levaquin include infusion site reactions, candidiasis (oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections), cough, elevations in liver tests, and low blood potassium (hypokalemia).

Side effects of Levaquin that are different from Fetroja include difficulty sleeping (insomnia), dizziness, abdominal pain, abdominal gas, itching, and vaginal itching or discharge. Levaquin has been associated with serious side effects including tendinitis and tendon rupture, pseudomembranous colitis, and photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight).

Fetroja may interact with other drugs.

Levaquin may interact with antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum, sucralfate, didanosine, vitamin or mineral supplements that contain iron or zinc, blood thinners, insulin or oral diabetes medications, theophylline, antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-malaria medications, medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headache medicines, narcotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and steroids.

Common side effects of Fetroja include:

• diarrhea,
• infusion site reactions,
• constipation,
• rash,
• candidiasis (oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections),
• cough,
• elevations in liver tests,
• headache,
• low blood potassium (hypokalemia),
• nausea, and
• vomiting

Common side effects of Levaquin include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• headache,
• constipation,
• difficulty sleeping (insomnia),
• dizziness,
• abdominal pain,
• rash,
• abdominal gas,
• itching, and
• vaginal itching or discharge.

Levaquin has been associated with tendinitis and tendon rupture. Levaquin can alter the normal bacteria in the colon and cause pseudomembranous colitis. Patients taking Levaquin can develop photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight) and patients may sunburn more easily.

Fetroja (cefiderocol) is a cephalosporin antibacterial used to treat patients 18 years of age or older who have limited or no alternative treatment options, for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis caused by susceptible Gram-negative microorganisms.

Levaquin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic medicine used in adults age 18 years or older to treat certain infections caused by certain germs called bacteria. These bacterial infections include:

• nosocomial pneumonia
• community-acquired pneumonia
• acute sinus infection
• acute worsening of chronic bronchitis
• skin infections, complicated and uncomplicated
• chronic prostate infection
• urinary tract infections, complicated and uncomplicated
• acute kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
• inhalational anthrax
• plague

Fetroja may interact with other medicines.

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Levaquin may interact with blood thinners, antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-malaria medications, medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headache medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, or narcotics.

Levaquin may also interact with antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum, sucralfate, didanosine, vitamin or mineral supplements that contain iron or zinc, insulin or oral diabetes medications, or theophylline.

The dose of Fetroja for injection is 2 grams administered every 8 hours by intravenous (IV) infusion over 3 hours in patients with creatinine clearance (CLcr) 60 to 119 mL/min.

• Take Levaquin exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
• Take Levaquin at about the same time each day.
• Drink plenty of fluids while you take Levaquin.
• Take Levaquin Oral Solution 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating.
• If you miss a dose of Levaquin, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take more than 1 dose in 1 day.
• Do not skip any doses of Levaquin or stop taking it, even if you begin to feel better, until you finish your prescribed treatment unless:
  • you have tendon problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about Levaquin?”.
  • you have a serious allergic reaction. See “What are the possible side effects of Levaquin?”.
  • your healthcare provider tells you to stop taking Levaquin
    Taking all of your Levaquin doses will help make sure that all of the bacteria are killed. Taking all of your Levaquin doses will help you lower the chance that the bacteria will become resistant to Levaquin. If your infection does not get better while you take Levaquin, it may mean that the bacteria causing your infection may be resistant to Levaquin. If your infection does not get better, call your healthcare provider. If your infection does not get better, Levaquin and other similar antibiotic medicines may not work for you in the future.
• If you take too much Levaquin, call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away.