關於喹諾酮類抗生素安全性的最新資訊 Latest safety update on fluoroquinolone antibiotics


  •        喹諾酮類抗生素用於治療成人特定的細菌感染, 如呼吸道感染﹑皮膚感染和泌尿道感染, 加拿大衛生部(Health Canada)通知衛生專業人士關於這類藥物安全性的最新資訊。患有重症肌無力的病人, 如同時全身性地使用喹諾酮類抗生素, 可能會使病情惡化。重症肌無力是罕見的慢性疾病, 病人的肌肉會漸漸變得虛弱無力, 受影響的包括眼部﹑臉部﹑頸部﹑喉部和四肢肌肉, 活動時肌肉虛弱無力的情況會惡化, 但休息後症狀一般會得到改善。雖然喹諾酮類抗生素使重症肌無力症狀惡化的事故極少發生, 但一旦出現, 後果可能很嚴重。雖然重症肌無力病人並不禁止使用喹諾酮類抗生素, 但這類藥物應避免用於曾有重症肌無力病史的病人, 如必須處方這類藥物, 醫生應評估其效益及風險, 以及監測病人服用藥物期間可能出現的肌肉虛弱或呼吸問題的惡化。


            Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are used to treat certain types of bacterial infections in adults, such as respiratory tract infections, skin infections and urinary tract infections.  Health Canada informed health professionals about the latest safety update on these drugs.  Patients with myasthenia gravis who take a systematic fluoroquinolone antibiotic may risk a worsening of their symptoms.  Myasthenia gravis is a rare, chronic disease that causes progressive muscle weakness.  Muscles affected by this condition include eye and face muscles, neck and throat muscles, and limb muscles.  Activity makes the muscle weakness worse, and symptoms generally improve with rest.  The risk of fluoroquinolone antibiotic used in myasthenia gravis patients is considered rare, but serious.  Though use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics is not contraindicated in myasthenia gravis patients, they should be avoided in patients with a known history of myasthenia gravis.  Physicians should evaluate the benefit and risk while fluoroquinolone antibiotic is prescribed for myasthenia gravis patients and also monitor the worsening of muscle weakness or breathing problems.