The term aminoglycosides covers various antibiotics that are used to treat bacterial infectious diseases. Generally, aminoglycosides are administered by injection either intravenously or intramuscularly, but eye and ear drops are common, as are creams.
What are aminoglycosides?
The term aminoglycosides includes various antibiotics that are administered by injection either intravenously or intramuscularly. Aminoglycosides are the name given to a large group consisting of antibiotics. Ten out of one hundred doctors in Germany use them to treat bacterial infections. They are rarely available in tablet form and are much more commonly administered by injection. With the exception of two specific side effects, aminoglycosides are also considered tolerable due to their very short retention time within the body and are therefore very frequently prescribed. Their uses range from mild respiratory tract infections to meningitis.
Pharmacological action
Because aminoglycosides are antibiotics, these preparations do not act directly on individual organs. Instead, they attack the ribosomes of bacteria. There, aminoglycosides attempt to interfere with the protein biosynthesis of the bacteria. It is inhibited by the drug, and the result is the formation of proteins that the infected bacterium cannot use for survival or replication. The metabolism within the bactria is thus completely inhibited by aminoglycosides, which over a short period of time leads to the so-called bactericide, i.e. the death of the affected bacteria. After the effect has unfolded, aminoglycosides are excreted naturally through the urine. However, with relatively high frequency, the administration of aminoglycosides can have a negative effect on the kidneys and also on hearing. Especially with intravenous or intramuscular administration, these undesirable side effects occur. If malfunction of these organs occurs during treatment, it is important to seek immediate medical attention, as this damage cannot be repaired by aminoglycosides.
Medical application and use
Aminoglycosides, such as amikacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, and various other preparations, can be used to treat a variety of conditions associated with infected bacteria. The only exception to this rule is usually in the case of streptococci, against which a special antibiotic, streptomycin, is used. Typical fields of application of aminoglycosides include, for example, infection of the respiratory tract and also the abdominal cavity. In the case of peritonitis, aminoglycosides are a commonly prescribed agent to quickly control the cause and symptoms. In burns, some aminoglycosides also prove helpful. Mild to moderate meningitis as well as endocarditis can be treated by aminoglycosides. If septic infections of the kidneys or other areas of the genitourinary system have occurred, aminoglycosides are among the reliable solutions. Because of the potential for damage to kidneys or hearing organs, aminoglycosides are not used for off-label use. Furthermore, aminoglycosides must not be used in the treatment of neonates and when there is already hypersensitivity to antibiotics with aminoglycosides as active ingredients, since the exact effect in these cases cannot be predicted. Aminoglycosides are also not prescribed during pregnancy out of consideration for the child.
Risks and side effects
As mentioned above, aminoglycosides can cause damage, especially to the kidneys and the organs of hearing. These are the most common side effects observed among the various aminoglycosides. Furthermore, drugs of this type can cause temporary disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract, which include, in particular, nausea and a feeling of fullness. As a result of these complaints, vomiting is also one of the risks of aminoglycosides. Headaches and respiratory problems have also been reported as side effects of aminoglycosides in a few cases. Cramps and muscle twitching occur relatively rarely. At the same time, however, interactions with other drugs are known, which can intensify the side effects of aminoglycosides.These include muscle relaxants, for example, which show a significantly increased effect due to aminoglycosides that exceeds the desired level. Also, cytostatic drugs containing platinum are responsible for the aforementioned hearing impairment with most aminoglycosides.
