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WARNING— Increased Risk Of Tendinitis And Tendon Rupture With All Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Public Citizen’s Health Research Group successfully petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add a warning for doctors to the labeling, or package for all fluoroquinolone antibiotics, about the risk of tendinitis, including the possibility of complete tendon rupture. This adverse reaction most frequently involves the Achilles tendon, the tendon that runs from the back of the... |
WARNING— Increased Risk Of Tendinitis And Tendon Rupture With All Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Public Citizen’s Health Research Group successfully petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add a warning for doctors to the labeling, or package for all fluoroquinolone antibiotics, about the risk of tendinitis, including the possibility of complete tendon rupture. This adverse reaction most frequently involves the Achilles tendon, the tendon that runs from the back of the heel to the calf. Rupture of the Achilles tendon may require surgical repair. Tendons in the rotator cuff (the shoulder), the hand, the biceps, and the thumb have also been involved. This reaction appears to be more common in those taking steroid drugs, in older patients, and in kidney transplant recipients but cases have occurred in people without any of these risk factors. The onset of symptoms is sudden and has occurred as soon as 24 hours after starting treatment with a fluoroquinolone. Most people have recovered completely after one to two months. If you experience unexpected tendon pain while taking a fluoroquinolone antibiotic stop the drug immediately, call your doctor, and rest. |
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires that the professional product labeling, or package inserts, for all fluroquinolone antibiotics must warn about the possibility of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage).
A list of the fluroquinolone antibiotics currently available in the U.S. appears at the end of this article.
Peripheral neuropathy describes damage to the peripheral nervous system, the communications network that transmits information concerning movement from the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system) to every other part of the body. Peripheral nerves also send sensory information — such as a message that the feet are cold or a finger is burned — back to the brain and spinal cord. Damage to the peripheral nervous system interferes with these vital motor and sensory connections.
The text of the new warning reads:
WARNINGS Peripheral Neuropathy: Rare cases of sensory or sensorimotor axonal polyneuropathy affecting small and/or large axons resulting in paresthesias, hypoesthesias, dysesthesias (abnormal sensation) and weakness have been reported in patients receiving quinolones, including [name of fluroquinolone antibiotic]. [Name of fluroquinolone anibiotic] should be discontinued if the patient experiences symptoms of neuropathy including pain, burning, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness, or is found to have deficits in light touch, pain, temperature, position sense, vibratory sensation, and/or motor strength in order to prevent the development of an irreversible condition. |
What You Can Do
If you are taking a fluroquinolone antibiotic and experience pain, burning, tingling, numbness, and weakness or both, or have problems with light touch, pain, temperature, position sense, vibratory sensation, and or motor strength or both you should stop the medication immediately and contact your physician.
