About your treatment  

Your doctor has ordered gatifloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The medication will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for at least 60 minutes once a day.

Gatifloxacin kills bacteria that cause infections, including certain types of gonorrhea (a sexually transmitted disease) and certain lung, sinus, skin, and urinary tract infections.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory, and to tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during your treatment. The length of your treatment depends on the type of infection you have and on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Storing your medication  

Your health care provider will probably tell you to store your medication in the refrigerator or at room temperature away from heat and moisture. Do not freeze gatifloxacin. Your health care provider may give you directions for allowing your medication to warm to room temperature before use. Your health care provider will tell you how and when you should throw away any unused medication and will probably mark this date on your medication container. Talk to your health care provider for more information on how to store your medication. Ask your health care provider if you do not understand the directions or if you have any questions.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose  

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection  

If you are receiving gatifloxacin in your vein,, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein ). If you experience any of these symptoms near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

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