By: Ozren Podnar |
6 deadly antibiotics |
|
The fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, either taken orally or via injection, represents a threat of permanent damage to the nerves, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has claimed.
This damage can occur soon after you start taking fluoroquinolones and may be permanent.
Peripheral neuropathy is the nerve damage in the hands or feet, characterized by pain, tingling, numbness, weakness or changes in sensation of touch.
FDA has previously warned that these drugs can cause damage to the tendon.
Fluoroquinolones are associated with damage to other organs, including the kidneys, eyes, and musculoskeletal system.
The dangerous six
Six dangerous antibiotic bear the following generic names:
- ciprofloxacin
- gemifloxacin
- levofloxacin
- moxifloxacin
- norfloxacin
- ofloxacin
Fluoroquinolones are dangerous because fluoride molecules have been added to them in order to enhance their effectiveness.
This element allows the drug to penetrate tissue that is normally hard to penetrate. Unfortunately, this ability makes fluoroquinolones lethal to the nervous system.
Severe side effects
In a study conducted 12 years ago, 91 percent of patients taking these drugs had side effects related to the nervous system, including pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, headaches, anxiety and memory loss.
In 73 percent of patients side-effects were found on the musculoskeletal system (fracture or tendinitis and swelling of the joints).
Studies in animals have shown that fluoroquinolones interfere with collagen synthesis and promote the degradation of collagen.
As a result, drugs with the addition of fluoride damage the muscles, tendons, cartilage and ligaments.
Problems with sensory organs (frequency 42%), cardiovascular system (36%), skin (29%) and gastrointestinal (18%) were also detected during studies.
Orally taken fluoroquinolones may increase the risk of disglicemia - either too high or too low blood sugar – among diabetics, as published in the August 2012 issue of magazine Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Numerous lawsuits due to side effects
One of the aforementioned six drugs, levofloxacin, was the subject of numerous lawsuits by patients due to a number of serious side effects.
Side effects include retinal ablation, which can lead to blindness, diarrhea, acute renal failure, hearing disorders, sugar metabolism disorders, painful rashes, depression and hallucinations.
Levofloxacin, along with moxifloxacin, increases the risk of acute liver toxicity in people over 66 years of age, as published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Who is under the most risk
It is believed that fluoroquinolones are the most dangerous for children under 18 and adults over 60 years.
Also vulnerable are pregnant and lactating women, people with liver disease, diabetics and those taking corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
When taking into account all these threats, it is easy to conclude that these drugs are among the most dangerous antibiotics.
Due to their unfavorable safety profile, these drugs should only be used for treating serious bacterial infections against which other drugs have not helped.
Also, it is necessary to warn patients of possible side effects. Unfortunately, many doctors prescribe these medications for mild sinus infections, ear infections and urinary tract infections.
The emergence of resistant bacteria
Medicine notes the increased number of bacteria resistant to fluoroquinolones, although earlier predictions said that this resistance was negligible.
According to a report published in the magazine Frontiers of Microbiology, experts have speculated that bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones will be weak and will emerge only by random genetic mutations.
As artificially created drugs, fluoroquinolones do not exist in nature, and microorganisms have not had a chance to get used to them. At least that is what the pharmaceutical experts believed.
Unfortunately, bacteria have proved to be much tougher and they have developed a number of mechanisms that enable them resistance to fluoroquinolones.
Overuse of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones, is responsible for the emergence of super-bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Among the resistant bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococci and Clostridium difficile, and some strains of tuberculosis and gonorrhea bacteria are now resistant too.
Drugs in food
Doctors are not the only culprits of excessive intake of these medicines. Fluoroquinolones are given to livestock and poultry on a massive scale in order to promote their growth.
As a result, consumers are unwittingly consuming antibiotics through meat products.
Liked the article?
Share it with your friends!
