Harmful Health Effects of Tobacco consumption:

More presentations from Dr.Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen

§  Tobacco consumption can cause various illnesses and premature death.

§  Tobacco is consumed either as Smokeless Tobacco (Chewing Tobacco, Snuff, Creamy Snuffs, Dipping Tobaccos, Gutka and Snus) or Burned Tobacco (Cigarette Smoking, Cigar Smoking, Beedi (Bidi) smoking, Kreteks and Hookah).

§   Consumption of smokeless tobacco may cause various types of cancers (Mouth, tongue, throat, esophagus, stomach and Pancreatic cancer), Heart diseases, Leukoplakia, Receding gums, Bone loss around the roots of the teeth, Abrasion of teeth, Tooth loss, Stained and discolored teeth and Bad breath.

§  Burned tobacco (Tobacco smoking) can increase the risk of Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack), Stroke, Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Asthma, Cancers of lung, larynx, oral cavity, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, and uterine cervix and Impotence.

Fluoroquinolones associated “Photogenotoxicity”:

 Dr.Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen

¨  High doses of Fluoroquinolones can bind to DNA directly and cause DNA damage by inhibiting topoisomerase IIα activity.

¨  In presence of Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, Fluoroquinolones cause DNA oxidation & topoisomerase IIα inhibition which may lead to DNA damage.

¨  Patients should be warned to avoid exposure to direct sunlight or UV light during treatment and until 36 hours after the discontinuation of treatment, because of the risk of Photogenotoxicity.

¨  Due to severe side effects of Fluoroquinolones, they are not used for regular treatment of bacterial infections.

Fluoroquinolones associated “Tendinopathy”:

 Dr.Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen

ª  Fluoroquinolones may cause tendinopathies such as tendinitis and tendon rupture of Achilles tendon and also other tendons like rotator cuff (the shoulder), the hand, the biceps, and the thumb.

ª  According to FDA, patients should stop taking fluoroquinolone at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation.

ª  Due to the chelating properties, Fluoroquinolones may form complex with several metal ions (e.g., calcium, magnesium, aluminum) and cause direct toxicity to type 1 collagen synthesis which leads to collagen degradation.

ª  Fluoroquinolones may also interact with regulating proteins of tenocytes because of their Chelating properties to damage the tendon structure.

ª  By Chelating with magnesium in joint cartilage, Fluoroquinolones may induce irreversible cartilage lesions.

ª  Fluoroquinolones associated Tendinopathy could be managed by taking rest, decreasing the physical load on the tendon and initiating physical therapy.

ª  Most Fluoroquinolones are contraindicated in children and during pregnancy and lactation, due to possible damage to juvenile weight-bearing joints by FQs.

ª  Fluoroquinolones associated Tendon rupture could be prevented or reduced by appropriate use of a fluoroquinolone, patient selection, and careful monitoring. 

Flouroquinolones associated “Permanent Nerve Damage”:

 Dr.Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen

©  Fluoroquinolones like Levofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Moxifloxacin, Norfloxacin, Ofloxacin and Gemifloxacin may induce serious nerve damage which might be permanent.

©  Fluoroquinolones induced peripheral neuropathy may include symptoms in arms and legs such as dysesthesia (pain), burning, paresthesia (tingling), hypoesthesia (numbness), weakness and other sensorimotor problems. 

¨  Due to severe side effects of Fluoroquinolones, they are not used for regular treatment of bacterial infections.

©  Fluoroquinolones may cause Peripheral neuropathy by inducing axonal degeneration with secondary breakdown of the myelin sheath, or more rarely primary segmental demyelinisation

©  If a patient develops symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, the fluoroquinolone should be stopped, and the patient should be switched to another, non-fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug, unless the benefit of continued treatment with a fluoroquinolone outweighs the risk.