What is Gentamicin?
What precautions should I take?
Side Effects
What is Gentamicin poisoning?
Symptoms of Gentamicin poisoning
Consequences of Gentamicin poisoning
Treatment of Gentamicin poisoning
Gentamicin kidney damage
Legal aspects of gentamicin poisoning

Gentamicin has been found to increase the risk of severe kidney and hearing problems. In fact, up to fifty percent of all cases of bilateral vestibulopathy (a condition characterized by damage to the inner ears) are caused by gentamicin. This risk is particularly significant in individuals taking certain prescription and over the counter medications, including some vitamins, diuretics, and the drugs cisplatin, amphotericin, and other antibiotics. Improper administration or excessive dosing of gentamicin, on the part of a healthcare professional, can also greatly increase the risk of serious gentamicin side effects.

What is Gentamicin?

Gentamicin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic used to kill a variety of bacterial infections, which may affect the skin, bone, lungs, joints, stomach, urinary tract, and/or blood. This medication is administered in injection form, either intravenously (in the vein) or intramuscularly (in the muscle, typically of the buttocks or hip). Gentamicin can also be present in eardrops, which can be damaging to the ears.

What precautions should I take when prescribed Gentamicin?

Before beginning any medication, it is imperative to speak with your doctor about your full medical history—including past or current health conditions, recent or current use of medicines, vitamins, and supplements, drug allergies, and more. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may not be a good candidate for gentamicin use, as this antibiotic can harm a fetus or nursing child. Patients should also be aware of the serious risks associated with gentamicin use and the symptoms of gentamicin side effects.

What are the side effects of Gentamicin?

Gentamicin can cause serious side effects. If the following symptoms are severe and do not resolve shortly after developing, the patient should seek medical attention:

• Upset stomach
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Pale Skin
• Symptoms of a new or worsening infection including:

Ø Fever

Ø Chills

Ø Night sweats

Ø Loss of appetite

Ø Local irritation, discoloration, swelling, etc.

The two most serious side effects associated with gentamicin are hearing problems and kidney damage, often the result of gentamicin poisoning. Ototoxicity, or ear damage, occurs in approximately one of every ten patients who receive intravenous gentamicin.

What is Gentamicin poisoning?

Gentamicin poisoning can occur when the antibiotic is improperly administered, the total dose is too high for the patient, the drug is used in combination with “potentiating” medications, and for other reasons. Children, people whose immune systems are compromised, and those with a genetic susceptibility are at a greater risk of gentamicin poisoning and subsequent side effects. Many patients who are taking gentamicin are very ill or bed-bound. It is more common in these cases for the symptoms of gentamicin poisoning to be overlooked. Patients and their families should be informed about the symptoms of gentamicin complications upon initiating treatment.

What are the symptoms of gentamicin poisoning?

The most common symptoms of gentamicin poisoning include:

• Bouncing and blurred vision (most frequent with head movement)
• Trouble walking or balancing
• Feeling like the room is spinning (vertigo)
• Dizziness (often dismissed as orthostatic hypotension in bedridden patients)
• Nausea
• Ringing or hissing in the ears (tinnitus)

The symptoms of gentamicin poisoning often persist after leaving the hospital, can also include mental confusion, extreme fatigue, and diminished short-term memory. These symptoms of serious gentamicin side effects may be difficult to detect in a child.

What are the consequences of gentamicin poisoning?

Gentamicin poisoning can cause significant damage to a patient’s vestibular system, which is part of the inner ear responsible for maintaining balance, sense of body position, visual focus, coordination, and orientation. Gentamicin can seriously damage the tiny hairs of the inner ears (responsible for sense of gravity, sense of motion, and providing information to the brain), causing serious hearing problems and visuo-spacial problems.

Is treatment available to patients with gentamicin hearing damage?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for gentamicin hearing problems or vestibular damage. Patients may recover, but the process is very slow and not often complete. The brain may be able to adapt and compensate for information no longer received from the inner ear by relying on other senses for input. Vestibular Rehabilitation, designed to stimulate the partially damaged system, may also be beneficial. Early diagnosis of gentamicin hearing damage is essential to maximizing a patient’s prognosis. Diagnosis is made by thorough physical examination, special testing, and taking a full medical history.

What about Gentamicin kidney damage?

Gentamicin is also toxic to some kidney cells, typically when gentamicin is given for too long or at too high a dose. Gentamicin is excreted by the kidneys, meaning that a person’s kidney cells are consistently bathed in nephrotoxic compounds in patients treated with this antibiotic. Progressive kidney failure is a rare but serious side effect caused by gentamicin. When this condition develops, the kidneys begin to excrete less gentamicin, leading to higher concentrations of the drug in the blood, causing further damage to the kidneys. Gentamicin kidney damage may be reversible if treated early and properly, unlike some other side effects of gentamicin.

What are the legal aspects of gentamicin poisoning?

If you or a loved one has suffered serious side effects caused by gentamicin, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more. A gentamicin lawsuit may be filed against a negligent medical professional, hospital, or even the drug’s maker. It is important to bear in mind that gentamicin lawsuits are subject to a statute of limitations, which restricts the time you have to pursue a claim. For this reason, it is important to seek the early advice of a qualified attorney who can help protect your legal interests.

Have you or a loved one been injured?

If you or a loved one has been adversely affected by gentamicin side effects, please contact us at Oshman & Mirisola. We provide a FREE, NO OBLIGATION consultation, allowing you to learn more about your legal rights and options. Pursing your gentamicin claim will cost you nothing until we successfully resolve your case. Call us at 1-800-400-8182 or click here to use our online system and a representative will be in contact with you shortly.