[3] Popular Antibiotic May Be Causing Permanent Damage ( Fluoroquinolone Toxicity )

Описание: WSET-TV
Mar 30, 2015 11:03 PM
Lynchburg, VA - Popular antibiotics used to treat common infections may be causing permanent damage. Fluoroquinolones have been at the center of more than 2-thousand lawsuits in the past year.

They are among the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. Levaquin and Cipro are the big ones, and are used to treat everything from anthrax to a simple sinus or urinary track infection. "The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which can happen with any antibiotics" said Stephanie Puckett, Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services at Centra.

Yet unlike other antibiotics, Fluoroquinolones come with a special 'black box' warning. That's the FDA's strictest warning, alerting patients of the possible nerve and tendon damage the antibiotic can cause.

"I would consider the Fluoroquinolones a very strong or potent class of antibiotics because they do cover a large variety of organisms" said Puckett.

But patients around the country say these prescription drugs carry more serious side effects than are listed on the label, including psychological effects. They have banded together on the Facebook page "The Fluoroquinolone Wall of Pain", to push the FDA for stronger warnings.

Group member Wayne Smith says he only took Levaquin for 3 days and suffered from "depression from hell, crying all day and night for no reason at all… Panic attacks, 24/7 anxiety that would not stop."

Similarly Lana Kennedy says she was "in a state of extreme confusion & began experiencing severe panic attacks" after taking Cipro.

Patients filed a citizen's petition asking the FDA to expand its warning on Fluoroquinolones. The new warning would include other reported side effects like damage to mitochondria in cells and psychological effects.

The FDA says "they are considering the matters raised by the petition and giving it [their} careful attention."