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.