Zyvox

What Zyvox tablets are for

Linezolid, the active ingredient in these Zyvox 600mg tablets, belongs to the oxazolidinone class of antibiotics. It treats infections caused by gram-positive bacteria, a group that takes in MRSA (meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and enterococci that have stopped responding to vancomycin. It comes into play when an infection has not settled on other antibiotics, or when the bacteria behind it are known to resist them. Hospital-acquired and community-acquired pneumonia, and complicated skin and soft-tissue infections, are the main uses.

How linezolid works

Bacteria assemble the proteins they need for growth and division on tiny structures called ribosomes. Linezolid fastens onto one site on the bacterial ribosome and halts that assembly line at its first step. New proteins are essential for the bacteria to grow, multiply and repair themselves, so the infection is held in check while the immune system mops up what remains.

Taking Zyvox: dose and timing

Adults take one 600mg tablet twice a day, about 12 hours apart; morning and evening suits most people. Swallow it with water, either with a meal or between meals. Keep going to the end of the course even once you feel better, because stopping early lets the bacteria that survived return, and a partly treated infection can be harder to clear. Keep the strips away from damp and direct sun.

Side effects worth knowing about

Headache, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and a metallic or otherwise altered taste are the ones people notice most. A coated tongue and trouble sleeping also turn up, and they usually ease as the course continues. Linezolid can lower blood counts, so unusual bruising, nosebleeds, a sore throat or unexplained tiredness can point to that; the risk is higher on courses running past about two weeks. Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet can develop with long courses, as can blurred vision.

What should I not mix with Zyvox?

Linezolid has mild MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor) activity, which matters in two ways. Large helpings of tyramine-rich food — aged cheese, cured and fermented meats, sauerkraut, fermented soy, soy sauce, draft beer, yeast extract — can push blood pressure up while you are taking it. Medicines that raise serotonin, including SSRI and SNRI antidepressants, MAOIs, and some opioid painkillers such as tramadol and pethidine, can combine with it to cause agitation, sweating, shivering and a racing heartbeat. Swelling of the lips, tongue or face, or difficulty breathing, needs emergency treatment.