Adverse drugs reactions (antibiotics)

Adverse drug reactions are very important in antibiotic therapy, and a full drug history is important before prescribing.

Reactions include:-

• penicillin - one in 2000 people have a type 1 reaction
• sulphonamides - skin (Stevens Johnson syndrome)
• tetracyclines - renal failure, stain teeth in children, superinfection - candida, gut
• aminoglycosides - ototoxicity and kidney
• clindomycin and lincomycin - pseudomembranous colitis
• chloramphenicol - aplastic anaemia
• metronidazole - peripheral neuropathy

Remember drug interactions with antibiotics.