Gentamicin Side Effects

Brand Names: Garamycin

Please note - some side effects for Gentamicin may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Side Effects of Gentamicin - for the consumer

Gentamicin/Prednisolone

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Gentamicin/Prednisolone:

Mild burning or stinging; temporary blurred vision.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); changes in vision; eye pain, itching, redness, swelling, irritation, or sores not present when you began using Gentamicin/Prednisolone .

Gentamicin Cream

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Gentamicin Cream:

Application-site irritation (redness and itching); skin sensitivity to sunlight.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); delayed healing of the cornea; redness, itching or swelling of the eyelids; ulcers of the cornea.

Gentamicin Drops

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Gentamicin Drops:

Bloodshot eye; burning or stinging of the eye.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); delayed healing of the cornea; hallucinations; redness, itching or swelling of the eyelids; ulcers of the cornea.

Gentamicin Ointment

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Gentamicin Ointment:

Bloodshot eye; burning or stinging of the eye.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); delayed healing of the cornea; hallucinations; redness, itching or swelling of the eyelids; ulcers of the cornea.

Gentamicin Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Gentamicin Solution:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); clumsiness; decreased urination; dizziness or lightheadedness; feeling of a whirling motion; hearing loss; itching; muscle weakness; numbness or tingling; ringing or roaring in the ears; seizures; vaginal irritation or discharge.

For the professional

Gentamicin

Bacterial and fungal corneal ulcers have developed during treatment with Gentamicin ophthalmic preparations. The most frequently reported adverse reactions are ocular burning and irritation upon drug instillation, non-specific conjunctivitis, conjunctival epithelial defects, and conjunctival hyperemia. Other adverse reactions which have occurred rarely are allergic reactions, thrombocytopenic purpura, and hallucinations.

Gentamicin Injection

Nephrotoxicity: Adverse renal effects, as demonstrated by the presence of casts, cells or protein in the urine or by rising BUN, NPN, serum creatinine or oliguria, have been reported. They occur more frequently in patients with a history of renal impairment and in patients treated for longer periods or with larger dosages than recommended.

Neurotoxicity: Serious adverse effects on both vestibular and auditory branches of the eighth nerve have been reported, primarily in patients with renal impairment (especially if dialysis is required) and in patients on high doses and/or prolonged therapy. Symptoms include dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, roaring in the ears and also hearing loss, which, as with the other aminoglycosides, may be irreversible. Hearing loss is usually manifested initially by diminution of high-tone acuity. Other factors which may increase the risk of toxicity include excessive dosage, dehydration and previous exposure to other ototoxic drugs.

Peripheral neuropathy or encephalopathy, including numbness, skin tingling, muscle twitching, convulsions, and a myasthenia gravis-like syndrome, have been reported.

NOTE: The risk of toxic reactions is low in patients with normal renal function who do not receive Gentamicin sulfate at higher doses or for longer periods of time than recommended.

Other reported adverse reactions possibly related to Gentamicin include: Respiratory depression, lethargy, confusion, depression, visual disturbances, decreased appetite, weight loss and hypotension and hypertension; rash, itching, urticaria, generalized burning, laryngeal edema, anaphylactoid reactions, fever, and headache; nausea, vomiting, increased salivation, and stomatitis; purpura, pseudotumor cerebri, acute organic brain syndrome, pulmonary fibrosis, alopecia, joint pain, transient hepatomegaly and splenomegaly.

Laboratory abnormalities possibly related to Gentamicin include: Increased levels of serum transaminase (SGOT, SGPT), serum LDH and bilirubin; decreased serum calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium; anemia, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, transient agranulocytosis, eosinophilia, increased and decreased reticulocyte counts and thrombocytopenia. While clinical laboratory test abnormalities may be isolated findings, they may also be associated with clinically related signs and symptoms. For example, tetany and muscle weakness may be associated with hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia and hypokalemia.

While local tolerance of Gentamicin sulfate is generally excellent, there has been an occasional report of pain at the injection site. Subcutaneous atrophy or fat necrosis suggesting local irritation has been reported rarely.

Gentamicin Ointment

In patients with dermatoses treated with Gentamicin sulfate, irritation (erythema and pruritis) that did not usually require discontinuance of treatment has been reported in a small percentage of cases. There was no evidence of irritation or sensitization, however, in any of these patients patch-tested subsequently with Gentamicin sulfate on normal skin. Possible photosensitization has been reported in several patients but could not be elicited in these patients by reapplication of Gentamicin sulfate followed by exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Gentamicin Ophthalmic Ointment

Bacterial and fungal corneal ulcers have developed during treatment with Gentamicin ophthalmic preparations.

The most frequently reported adverse reactions are ocular burning and irritation upon drug instillation, non-specific conjunctivitis, conjunctival epithelial defects, and conjunctival hyperemia.

Other adverse reactions which have occurred rarely are allergic reactions, thrombocytopenic purpura, and hallucinations.

Gentamicin Ophthalmic solution

Bacterial and fungal corneal ulcers have developed during treatment with Gentamicin ophthalmic preparations.

The most frequently reported adverse reactions are ocular burning and irritation upon drug instillation, non-specific conjunctivitis, conjunctival epithelial defects, and conjunctival hyperemia.

Other adverse reactions which have occurred rarely are allergic reactions, thrombocytopenic purpura, and hallucinations.

More resources:

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