A synthetic oxazolidinone derivative, linezolid selectively inhibits an early step in bacterial protein synthesis and affects blood pressure through monoamine oxidase inhibition. It is effective against Gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains, coagulase-negative Staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant Enterococci, and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains.