Improved safety profile of newer fluoroquinolones

Since their introduction to clinical use over half a century ago, antibiotics have become among the most commonly used drugs in a physician’s therapeutic armamentarium. There are, however, adverse effects that may be associated with these compounds and that range from mild, transient phenomena which may only be detectable by laboratory tests to severe life-threatening events such as anaphylaxis, seizures and on occasion ventricular arrhythmias. Fortunately these events are uncommon but it is incumbent upon physicians to be aware of them and to understand as much as possible about their pathogenesis. This paper reviews the general mechanisms of antibiotic toxicity, and focuses on the fluoroquinolone-related adverse events.