Excerpt from:
A Year in Review and Looking Ahead: New Pharmaceutical Treatment Options in
the Elderly  CE
Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP University of Maryland 

Required reading to to prepare for the CME/CE test, as well as documentation
for  your licensing board as documentation of continuing education.

Antibiotics
Gemifloxacin mesylate (Factive). Gemifloxacin mesylate, which is given daily
(320 mg for 5 to 7 days), is a new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent
indicated for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and acute bacterial
exacerbation of chronic bronchitis.[3] The primary advantage of this drug is daily
dosing and the wide spectrum (covering multidrug-resistant strains of
Streptococcus pneumoniae).

Gemifloxacin is contraindicated in patients with a history of
hypersensitivity to any quinolone. Unfortunately, gemifloxacin may prolong the QT interval
and should also be avoided in patients treated with class IA or class III
antiarrhythmic agents and patients with uncorrected electrolyte disorders. In
addition, this drug has caused rashes at a rate exceeding that of other antibiotics.
Other common side effects have included diarrhea, nausea, photosensitivity,
cognitive changes, and tendon and cartilage effects.

Drug absorption and activity may be reduced in patients taking
metal-containing products, and gemifloxacin mesylate should be given at least 2 hours before
or 3 hours after metal-containing products. Use of this new antibiotic in
elderly persons is not strongly recommended in light of the associated risks and
the fact that it does not offer any benefit over other fluoroquinolones.