Antibiotics: side effects

Definition

Definition

Antibiotics can have side effects that limit their further use (usually within a particular family of antibiotics).

Generalities

List (non-exhaustive) of possible side effects during antibiotic therapy

  • Allergic reactions on the skin
     
  • Severe reaction, shock (organs are no longer able to perform their functions)
     
  • Diarrhea due to changes in intestinal flora (all the bacteria contained in the intestines)
     
  • Nausea, sometimes even vomiting
     
  • Appearance of a mycosis (presence of fungi in the digestive tract: mainly candidiasis) resulting in a whitish deposit on the tongue (coated tongue)
     
  • Liver, neurological, blood, auditory, renal toxicity

List of side effects for each specific antibiotic:

  • Aminoglycosides (streptomycin, amikacin, dibekacin gentamicin, tobramycin): allergic reaction, gastrointestinal (including liver) toxicity
     
  • Antituberculosis drugs (ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin, streptomycin): blood and digestive toxicity
     
  • Beta-lactams 1 (penicillin G, ampicillin): allergy, toxicity of the hearing, digestive (including hepatic), renal, blood systems
     
  • Beta-lactams 2 (cefalosporins, cefalexin, cefazolin): digestive toxicity (including hepatic), allergic reaction, neurological and renal toxicity
     
  • Lincosanides (clindamycin): auditory and renal toxicity
     

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