Dangers of ciprofloxacin use in the elderly: case reports.

Abstract

The fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin is a potent antibiotic with proven efficacy against both gram-positive and especially gram-negative organisms. Because of its potent activities and successes, it has found tremendous clinical use in conditions of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal tract infections, and many other soft tissue infections. It is not recommended for use in patients below 12 years due to the danger of damage to growing cartilage and arthropathy. Tendonitis is a recognized side effect of ciprofloxacin and said to be rare, potentially more serious in adults where it is reported to lead to tendon rupture in high-risk patients of advanced age, renal insufficiency and concurrent steroid use.
The following case reports not only confirm the gravity of this side effect in the elderly but also the frequency of occurrence. This necessitates attention and urgent need for vigilance and reassessment of ciprofloxacin use in the elderly. If further investigations and reports support this, then the use of Ciprofloxacin in the elderly should be avoided.