Commonly used antibiotics can cause heart problems [EXPLAIN]

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Research has shown a link between two types of heart problems and the use of popular antibiotics. The authors warn against unjustified intake of such drugs.

Antibiotic is unequal to antibiotic

Columbia University researchers have published studies showing that people taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as cyprofloksacyna (Cipronex), there is a 2,4 times higher risk of aortic and mitral regurgitation compared to patients taking other types of antibiotics – e.g. amoxicillin (Duomox) and azithromycin (Sumamed). Researchers have identified 12505 cases of valvular regurgitation in 125 people in a random sample of over 020 million patients. They found that the greatest risk appears in the first 9 days after taking fluoroquinolones, which, due to the broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and high absorption after oral ingestion, very often appear on prescriptions issued by doctors.

Also read: Antibiotics stop working. There will be no drugs for superbugs soon?

The study highlighted the need for prudent antibiotic prescription:

– Antibiotics in a nutshell are very convenient, but in most cases really unnecessary. Unjustified prescribing them can cause both antibiotic resistance and serious heart problems, explains lead author Mahyar Etminan.

Scientists hope that their discovery will increase the awareness of doctors and the public about the use of antibiotics. They urge doctors to use other types of preparations as the first line of defense in the case of uncomplicated infections.

Fluoroquinolones – other side effects

Both in the case of fluoroquinolones and many other antibiotics, we can expect a number of side effects after using them. These include, among others:

  1. gastrointestinal problems,
  2. kidney damage,
  3. tendon inflammation and rupture,
  4. disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system,
  5. hypoglycemia i hyperglycemia,
  6. Heart arythmia.

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