A team of researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in close partnership with the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) Therapeutic Evaluation Unit recently released the results of their study in the Journal of American College of Cardiology. The team found that the patients who have been prescribed with fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Ciproflaxacin also known as Cipro are at higher risk of developing mitral regurgitation. This is the process when the blood backflows into the heart. They compared these results to patients who are taking amoxicillin, another common type of antibiotic. The great risk is said to last within 30 days of use.
Fluoroquinolones is a much favored antibiotic over the others because of it shigh oral consumption and a broad sense of antibacterial activities. It is also an effective in many forms of ingestion including intravenous, treatment or the IV. Most physicians prefer it because they only need to prescribe a patient a once-a-day pill.
"This class has become a very convenient set of antibiotics. However, for most cases including community-related infections, these antibiotics are not really needed. Sadly, the inappropriate prescription of such antibiotics could lead to unwanted antibiotic resistance. Worse, it could lead patients to developing serious heart problems."said Mahyar Etminan, the lead author of the study. He is also an opthalmology and visual sciences faculty and associate professor from the faculty of medicine at UBC.
The researchers of the study remain hopeful that people working for the betterment of public health as well as physicians in treating their patients. If ever they come across patients with cardiac issues when no other cause is found they will know that their prescription of fluoroquinolone antibiotics may be potentially be the reason why.
"The Therapeutic Evaluation Unit is aimed at evaluating different drugs as well as health care technologies to determine how they help enhance the health care experience delivered by the programs we provide," said Dr. Bruce Carleton, research director at the BC Children's Hospital. This study highlights the importance of thoughtful and mindful prescription of antibiotics, because physicians must know that these medicines could sometimes post threats in a person's general health. "As a result, the team will continue to work with the BC Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee to reduce inappropriate prescription of medications under this class of antibiotics," he said.
The research team used the data they collected from the US Food and Drug Administration. They also included the data they have gathered from private insurance corporations, particularly the health claims database. The study was funded by the Therapeutic Evaluation Unit of the Provincial Health Services Authority.