Common Antibiotics, like CIPRO, May Cause Tendonitis
CIPRO is the workhorse of antibiotics. Why? It is very effective for fighting many types of bacteria. Great, but is there a downside? Yes! There are lots of side effects and some quite serious.
For example, back in July, 2008, the FDA issued a “black box warning” on Cipro and other antibiotics of the Fluoroquinolone drug class.
What is a black-box warning? It is the strongest warning the FDA requires on pharmaceuticals. It is named such because it is required to be listed on the drug’s package insert with a bold, black box surrounding the warning. The FDA issues black box warnings when it is determined that there is a significant risk of serious side effects.
In the case of CIPRO and other Fluoroquinolones, they can cause tendon ruptures and tendonitis. The Achilles tendon is most commonly affected, but it can occur to any tendon in the body. This can happen quite quickly, even with a short course of therapy. Other potential side effects with this class of drugs include muscle weakness, muscle pain, nerve pain and tingling, thinking and memory issues and heart palpitations.
WARNING: The warning described above is not always communicated by the MD or Pharmacist, and the black box warning is not listed on the inserts of all the generic versions of the drugs.
So here is the list of all the antibiotics in this drug class, including both brand and generic names:
Let me be clear. Unlike many other classes of pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, when required, are necessary and without other options for therapy. Having said that, I can also say that most courses of antibiotics prescribed are not necessary. Like all classes of pharmaceuticals, they are significantly over-used, even today with all the obvious documented risk.
So if you are prescribed these medications, make sure there is a documented infection that is being treated. And, be sure to watch for the first signs of these serious side effects so the medication can be stopped and changed by your physician immediately.
My life is not this steeply sloping hour in which you see me hurrying. That’s how the great German poet, Rilke put it when his life became overwhelmed by his to-do list.
I’m not quite there but some days can feel pretty hectic. And that is why this first newsletter of the year is a tad later than I had planned. Why? Well, I’ve been recently involved in a number of very exciting professional conferences (that have taken most of my extra time) dedicated to some of the latest research and findings in nutrition and other related subjects.
The good news is later this year I will be writing about a lot of this new and exciting research. I’ll share some of the latest evidenced-based nutrition and lifestyle approaches for improved health and vitality. (Of course for those of you I am seeing regularly, we are already incorporating some of this latest research.)
This newsletter features new research about two classes of pharmaceutical drugs, which I hope you’ll find helpful. One article explains the “black-box” warning issued on a class of antibiotics. The other article, addresses the negative results of a recent study on a cholesterol lowering medication.
New Study: Effectiveness of Popular Cholesterol Drug Questioned
The New England Journal of Medicine, in November of 09, published a study that questioned the effectiveness of Zetia (brand name for ezetimibe) and Vytorin (a combination of a Statin drug and Zetia) in lowering cholesterol, reducing plaque and reducing heart attacks and strokes.
Both drugs are marketed by Merck. These drugs have a different mechanism for lowering cholesterol than Statin drugs. They work by blocking the absorption of cholesterol from food in the intestines, and they were marketed for people already taking Statin drugs that were not achieving the desired results.
The study evaluated the effectiveness of these drugs compared to Niaspan, the long-acting form of the common B vitamin, Niacin. The results showed that the patients taking Niaspan had significantly less plaque in their arteries and higher levels of HDL, the so-called “good” cholesterol.
The patients taking Zetia had lowered LDL, the “bad” cholesterol. However, they also had more plaque in their arteries and more heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular problems than the patients taking the Niaspan.
Two other studies last year also did not bode well for Zetia and Vytorin. One, actually released by the drug-maker, Merck, showed that these drugs did not reduce plaque formation in arteries as earlier claimed. Another study showed a potential increase in cancer risk among patients taking Zetia and Vytorin.
What Are Some Conclusions?
Cholesterol-lowering drugs are extremely over-prescribed. I am seeing clients with lower and lower levels of cholesterol being scared into taking these drugs. As I have stated many times before, a high LDL cholesterol can almost always be completely reversed with diet and lifestyle changes. Of course it does require a willingness to make changes. In doing so, one can actually REVERSE the mechanism, or the cause of why the body is making too much cholesterol.
It’s critical for us to understand the body as a system. This means that higher cholesterol often occurs in conjunction with high blood sugar, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, high levels of stress hormones or increased inflammation. Taking a medication to lower the cholesterol does not necessarily reverse the mechanism causing this disorder as well as the others mentioned.
In fact, some have compared using medication to “turn off” the body’s production of cholesterol to reaching behind the dashboard of your car and disconnecting the warning oil light instead of investigating the cause of the low oil.
I don’t believe anyone should be told to take a Statin or other cholesterol- lowering drug without first having a full risk assessment. That includes a VAP test (also goes by other names from various labs). A VAP not only measures LDL and HDL but measures the particle size and specific types of these cholesterols. It is a much more up-to-date, accurate and thorough assessment of risk. And, the results of these more detailed tests would better inform appropriate therapy. In addition, there are 4-5 more risk level assessments that should be evaluated as well. All are simple blood tests.
I say let’s get all the information and make the best therapy decisions. That way, we are not just lowering a number, but reversing a mechanism that is causing the underlying dysfunction.
Please know I am happy to coach you in reducing your risk of a heart incident. In addition to helping with lifestyle and diet changes to reverse a disease mechanism, I will also help make sure you are getting all the appropriate tests and assessments. I’ll also evaluate your test results – not simply to determine if they are “normal” but also whether your levels are optimal for keeping you healthy and reducing risk. Again, please call to make an appointment if this is an area you want and need to explore.
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go out and do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Howard Thurman
