Linezolid (Intravenous)

Linezolid injection is used to treat specific bacterial infections in various parts of the body, including certain skin infections and pneumonia.

Linezolid is part of a group of medicines known as antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or stopping them from growing. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections.

This medicine should only be given by or under the direct supervision of a doctor.

It is very important for your doctor to monitor your or your child's progress while using this medicine to ensure it is working correctly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any side effects.

If your or your child's symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they get worse, contact your doctor.

You should not use this medicine if you or your child have taken an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid, phenelzine, Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, or Parnate® in the last 14 days. Also, do not use this medicine if you or your child are taking any of the following medicines: buspirone (Buspar®), dobutamine (Dobutrex®), dopamine (Intropin®), epinephrine (Adrenalin®), norepinephrine (Levophed®), cold medicines or decongestants (for example, phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, or Sudafed®), medicines for depression (for example, amitriptyline, bupropion, doxepin, fluoxetine, nortriptyline, paroxetine, Celexa®, Effexor®, Elavil®, Lexapro™, Paxil®, or Zoloft®), medicines for migraine headaches (for example, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, Axert®, Imitrex®, or Zomig®), or narcotic pain medicines (for example, meperidine, Demerol®).

Linezolid can temporarily reduce the number of white blood cells in your blood, which increases the risk of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which help with blood clotting. If this happens, your doctor may advise you to take certain precautions, especially if your blood count is low, to lower the risk of infection or bleeding:

• If possible, avoid close contact with people who have infections. Contact your doctor right away if you or your child think you are getting an infection or if you have a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual bleeding or bruising, black or tarry stools, blood in urine or stools, or pinpoint red spots on your skin.

This medicine may cause diarrhea, which can be severe in some cases. It may occur 2 months or more after stopping this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without checking with your doctor first. If you have questions or if mild diarrhea continues or worsens, contact your doctor.

You may experience low blood sugar while using this medicine. You may feel weak, drowsy, confused, anxious, or very hungry. You may have trouble seeing or have a persistent headache. Ask your doctor what to do if this occurs. Some things that can lead to low blood sugar include exercising more than usual or waiting too long to eat.

This medicine may lead to a serious reaction called lactic acidosis (a build-up of acid in the blood). Call your doctor immediately if you or your child feel very tired, weak, or nauseated, if you vomit or have trouble breathing, or if you feel lightheaded or faint.

This medicine may cause a serious condition known as serotonin syndrome when taken with certain medicines, including some medicines for depression (SSRIs) or narcotic pain medicines. Always check with your doctor before taking any other medicines. Call your doctor right away if you or your child experience agitation, confusion, diarrhea, fever, overactive reflexes, poor coordination, restlessness, shivering, sweating, or trembling.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience blurred vision, difficulty reading, or any other change in your vision while using this medicine. You may need to have your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

When taken with certain foods or drinks, linezolid can raise blood pressure. To avoid this, do not consume large amounts of foods or drinks that are high in tyramine (most commonly found in aged, fermented, pickled, or smoked foods, including aged cheeses, air-dried, fermented, or smoked fish, meat, or poultry, sauerkraut, soy sauce, red wine, or tap beer). If you do not receive a list of these foods and drinks, ask your doctor for one.

Contact your doctor right away if you have agitation, coma, confusion, decreased urine output, depression, dizziness, headache, hostility, increased thirst, irritability, lethargy, muscle pain or cramps, muscle twitching, nausea or vomiting, rapid weight gain, seizures, stupor, swelling of the face, ankles, or hands, or unusual tiredness or weakness. These may be symptoms of hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood) or syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH).

This medicine may cause infertility in men. Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children.

Do not take any other medicines unless you have discussed them with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

In deciding to use a medicine, it is important to consider the risks of taking the medicine compared to the benefits it will provide. This decision should be made together with your doctor. For this medicine, the following points should be taken into account:

Allergies

Inform your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reactions to this medicine or any other medicines. Also, let your healthcare professional know if you have other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Current studies have not shown any specific problems in children that would limit the use of linezolid injection.

Geriatric

Current studies have not shown any specific problems in older adults that would limit the use of linezolid injection. However, older patients may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine compared to younger adults.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women to determine the risk to infants when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Some medicines should not be used together at all, while others may be taken together even if an interaction could occur. In these cases, your doctor might adjust the dose or take other precautions. When you are receiving this medicine, it is very important for your healthcare professional to know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been chosen based on their potential importance and may not include all possibilities.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may choose not to treat you with this medication or may change some of the other medicines you take.

• Almotriptan
• Amitriptyline
• Amoxapine
• Amphetamine
• Apraclonidine
• Atomoxetine
• Benzphetamine
• Brimonidine
• Bupropion
• Buspirone
• Carbamazepine
• Carbidopa
• Carbinoxamine
• Citalopram
• Clomipramine
• Clovoxamine
• Codeine
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Cyproheptadine
• Desipramine
• Desvenlafaxine
• Deutetrabenazine
• Dexmethylphenidate
• Dextroamphetamine
• Diethylpropion
• Dobutamine
• Dopamine
• Doxepin
• Doxylamine
• Duloxetine
• Eletriptan
• Entacapone
• Epinephrine
• Escitalopram
• Femoxetine
• Fenfluramine
• Flesinoxan
• Fluoxetine
• Fluvoxamine
• Frovatriptan
• Gepirone
• Guanadrel
• Guanethidine
• Hydroxytryptophan
• Imipramine
• Isocarboxazid
• Levodopa
• Levomethadyl
• Levomilnacipran
• Lisdexamfetamine
• Maprotiline
• Mazindol
• Meperidine
• Methamphetamine
• Methyldopa
• Methylene Blue
• Methylphenidate
• Milnacipran
• Mirtazapine
• Naratriptan
• Nefazodone
• Nefopam
• Nortriptyline
• Opipramol
• Ozanimod
• Paroxetine
• Phendimetrazine
• Phenelzine
• Phenmetrazine
• Phentermine
• Phenylalanine
• Phenylephrine
• Phenylpropanolamine
• Procarbazine
• Protriptyline
• Pseudoephedrine
• Rasagiline
• Reserpine
• Rizatriptan
• Safinamide
• Selegiline
• Serdexmethylphenidate
• Sertraline
• Sibutramine
• Solriamfetol
• Sumatriptan
• Tapentadol
• Tetrabenazine
• Tramadol
• Tranylcypromine
• Trazodone
• Trimipramine
• Tryptophan
• Venlafaxine
• Vilazodone
• Viloxazine
• Vortioxetine
• Zimeldine
• Zolmitriptan

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the frequency of use for one or both medicines.

• Albuterol
• Alfentanil
• Atropine
• Benzhydrocodone
• Buprenorphine
• Butalbital
• Butorphanol
• Cholera Vaccine, Live
• Dextromethorphan
• Difenoxin
• Dihydrocodeine
• Diphenhydramine
• Diphenoxylate
• Dolasetron
• Droperidol
• Ethchlorvynol
• Fentanyl
• Formoterol
• Granisetron
• Guarana
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Iobenguane I 123
• Iobenguane I 131
• Kava
• Lasmiditan
• Levorphanol
• Licorice
• Lithium
• Lorcaserin
• Ma Huang
• Mate
• Metaxalone
• Methadone
• Metoclopramide
• Midodrine
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Nalbuphine
• Norepinephrine
• Ondansetron
• Oxycodone
• Oxymetazoline
• Oxymorphone
• Palonosetron
• Pentazocine
• Reboxetine
• Remifentanil
• Risperidone
• St John's Wort
• Sufentanil
• Tolcapone
• Tyrosine
• Valbenazine
• Vilanterol
• Warfarin
• Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may increase the risk of certain side effects, but taking both medicines may still be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you take one or both medicines.

• Acarbose
• Chlorpropamide
• Clarithromycin
• Ginseng
• Glimepiride
• Glipizide
• Glyburide
• Insulin
• Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
• Insulin Bovine
• Insulin Degludec
• Insulin Detemir
• Insulin Glargine, Recombinant
• Insulin Glulisine
• Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
• Metformin
• Nateglinide
• Repaglinide
• Rifampin
• Tolazamide
• Tolbutamide

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used around the time of eating food or certain foods due to possible interactions. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also lead to interactions. The following interactions have been chosen based on their potential importance and may not include all possibilities.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you take this medicine, or provide special instructions regarding food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Avocado
• Bitter Orange

Using this medicine with any of the following may increase the risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some situations. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you take this medicine, or give you special instructions about food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Tyramine Containing Food

Other Medical Problems

Having other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Be sure to inform your doctor if you have any other medical issues, especially:

• Blood problems or
• Bone marrow depression or
• Diabetes or
• Hypertension (high blood pressure), history of or
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or
• Seizures, history of—Use with caution. May worsen these conditions.

• Carcinoid syndrome or
• Hypertension (high blood pressure), uncontrolled or
• Pheochromocytoma or
• Thyroid problems—Should not be used in patients with these conditions unless closely monitored by a doctor for high blood pressure and serotonin syndrome.

• Infection at the catheter site—Should not be used in patients with this condition.

• Infection, Gram-negative—Use is not indicated in patients with this condition.

• Kidney disease, severe or
• Liver disease, moderate to severe—Use with caution. May cause thrombocytopenia (low platelet count in the blood) in patients with these conditions.

Along with its necessary effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may happen, if they do occur, they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

• Chills
• confusion
• dizziness
• fainting
• fast heartbeat
• fever
• lightheadedness
• pale skin
• rapid, shallow breathing
• rash
• trouble breathing
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common

• Black, tarry stools
• bleeding gums
• blood in the urine or stools
• bluish lips or skin
• body aches or pain
• chest pain or tightness
• congestion
• constipation
• cough
• decreased urine
• difficult or labored breathing
• dry mouth
• dryness or soreness of the throat
• ear congestion
• headache
• hoarseness
• increased thirst
• irregular heartbeat
• loss of appetite
• loss of voice
• mood changes
• muscle pain or cramps
• nausea or vomiting
• not breathing
• numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
• painful or difficult urination
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• seizures
• severe stomach pain
• sneezing
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• stuffy or runny nose
• swollen glands
• tender, swollen glands in the neck
• trouble with swallowing
• voice changes
• vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds

Incidence not known

• Agitation
• blindness
• blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• blurred vision
• burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations
• coma
• decreased appetite
• decreased vision
• depression
• diarrhea
• eye pain
• general feeling of discomfort
• high fever
• hives
• hostility
• irritability
• itching
• joint or muscle pain
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• lethargy
• muscle pain, cramping, or twitching
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rapid weight gain
• red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• red, irritated eyes
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
• stomach discomfort
• stupor
• swelling of the face, ankles, or hands
• swollen glands
• unexplained bleeding or bruising
• unsteadiness or awkwardness
• weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

• Bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
• change in taste
• discoloration of the tongue
• itching of the vagina or outside genitals
• loose stools
• pain during sexual intercourse
• pain in the arms or legs
• sore mouth or tongue
• thick, white curd-like vaginal discharge without odor or with mild odor
• trouble sleeping

Incidence not known

• Discoloration of the tooth

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In the U.S.

• Zyvox

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antibiotic

Chemical Class: Oxazolidinone

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins. It must be given slowly, so the needle will have to remain in place for 30 to 120 minutes.

Your doctor will give you or your child a few doses of this medicine until your condition improves, and then switch you to an oral medicine that works the same way. If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor.

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