amikacin vs moxifloxacin
Side-by-side comparison of amikacin and moxifloxacin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Amikin
Avelox
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights serious infections caused by certain types of bacteria.
Moxifloxacin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body. It is used to treat different types of infections.
Amikacin treats serious infections caused by bacteria. This includes infections in the blood, lungs, bones, joints, brain, skin, and abdomen. It can also treat burns, post-surgery infections, and complicated urinary tract infections.
Moxifloxacin treats infections like pneumonia, skin infections, and infections in your stomach area. It can also treat sinus infections, bronchitis, and plague. This medicine should only be used to treat infections that are proven or very likely to be caused by bacteria that it can kill.
Amikacin belongs to a class of drugs called aminoglycosides. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Moxifloxacin belongs to a class of drugs called fluoroquinolones. It works by stopping bacteria from multiplying. This helps your body fight off the infection.
No common side effects listed.
- • Nausea
- • Diarrhea
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- Off Label Use 1,908
- Drug Ineffective 1,673
- Cough 1,620
- Dyspnoea 1,556
- Hospitalisation 1,360
- Off Label Use 1,369
- Drug Ineffective 1,347
- Dyspnoea 1,224
- Pneumonia 1,142
- Vomiting 1,101
Amikacin can potentially cause hearing loss and kidney damage. Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems or are taking other medicines that can affect your hearing or kidneys. Your doctor should closely monitor you for hearing and kidney problems during treatment. This drug can also cause muscle weakness or breathing problems, especially if you are also taking anesthesia or certain muscle relaxants.
Moxifloxacin can cause serious side effects, even if they don't happen to everyone. These include tendon problems, nerve damage, and central nervous system problems. If you have myasthenia gravis, moxifloxacin can make your muscle weakness worse. If you experience any of these serious side effects, stop taking moxifloxacin immediately and talk to your doctor. Because of these risks, moxifloxacin should only be used when other treatment options are not available for sinus infections or bronchitis.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Amikacin may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if amikacin passes into breast milk.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Moxifloxacin may harm your unborn baby. It is not known if moxifloxacin passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Also Compare — Nearby Drugs
Compare amikacin with
Compare moxifloxacin with
How to Read This amikacin vs moxifloxacin Comparison
amikacin is classified in the Aminoglycoside Antibiotic drug class, while moxifloxacin sits within the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amikacin has 8,117 submissions while moxifloxacin has 6,183. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between amikacin and moxifloxacin — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.