Medicines
Discover all available medicines and treatments
Discover all available medicines and treatments
Brand: Zyvox, Zyvoxid
Linezolid is a synthetic oxazolidinone antibiotic used to treat serious infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. It inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit, preventing the formation of the initiation complex. Linezolid is typically reserved for infections resistant to other antibiotics due to its potential for serious side effects.
For treating serious infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria resistant to other antibiotics, such as MRSA, VRE, and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Myelosuppression (including thrombocytopenia, anemia, and neutropenia), peripheral and optic neuropathy (sometimes irreversible), lactic acidosis, and serotonin syndrome are potential serious side effects. Duration of therapy should be limited to 28 days.
Outcome:
Serotonin syndrome
Mechanism:
Increased serotonin levels
Outcome:
Increased blood pressure
Mechanism:
Weak MAOI activity
Outcome:
Reduced linezolid absorption
Mechanism:
Chelation
Most likely new formulation: Improved oral bioavailability formulation (2025, 70% confidence)
Based on increasing resistance patterns to other antibiotic classes, linezolid use is projected to increase by 15% over the next 5 years.
Oxazolidinone Antibiotic
Oxazolidinone