Amoxicillin Side Effects

Amoxicillin is one of the most commonly used antibiotics in the world. It belongs to the spectrum of β-lactam antibiotics, and is the drug of choice when it comes to treating bacterial infections, as it is well absorbed even when given orally. Hence, it is used to treat a variety of infections, including infections of the ear, nose throat, skin infections, urinary tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections etc. Amoxicillin for sinus infection treatment is also a very well-known use of this drug. Thus, its multipurpose use makes this drug a very popular one among medical practitioners. However, amoxicillin side effects are something that doctors need to be well aware of, so as to prevent them from occurring, as they can be life-threatening at times.

Anaphylactic Reaction

One of the most serious and dangerous of all side effects is anaphylactic reaction. An anaphylactic reaction is defined as a life-threatening type 1 hypersensitivity reaction to a drug which is given internally or orally. Around 1500 patients die yearly due to an anaphylactic reaction in the United States. However, this serious allergic response of the body only occurs in those patients that have a true allergy to penicillin and its derivatives, as opposed to people who present with pseudo-anaphylaxis or an anaphylactoid reaction. An anaphylactic reaction is characterized by the following signs and symptoms:

• Normally, a true anaphylactic reaction with systemic signs and symptoms begin showing within 72 hours of exposure to the allergen, without the need of further exposure. Skin involvement is one of the first signs seen. This includes generalized hives, skin rashes, itchiness, flushing. Fever is often experienced by people, along with the skin rashes.
• Swelling of lips, tongue and/or throat is also seen, as this is the body's way of responding and fighting the inflammation.
• Respiratory distress, in the form of difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, wheezing etc. may also be seen.
• Some patients may also complain of gastrointestinal problems like severe abdominal cramps, stomach pain, diarrhea etc.
• Other serious effects that may occur if immediate action is not taken to deal with the symptoms includes coronary artery spasms, which may lead to myocardial infarction. Consequently, there may also be a sudden drop in blood pressure, which may lead to lightheadedness and fatigue, along with loss of consciousness.

Other Side Effects

Oral Thrush: Oral thrush is often seen as a super-infection in case of overdose of amoxicillin. Whenever there is an overdose of antibiotic consumption, there is often an adverse reaction due to impairment with the immunity. This leads to increased susceptibility to other opportunistic infections like oral thrush or candidiasis and other fungal infections of other organs.

Gastrointestinal Distress: One of the amoxicillin side effects in infants is often digestive distress. When the body is not used to intake of amoxicillin, the digestive tract often acts adversely, leading to abdominal cramps, stomach cramps, pain in lower abdomen etc. These symptoms may even mimic irritable bowel syndrome.

Nausea: Frequent nausea and vomiting are one of the other common side effects in women seen due to amoxicillin. These are normally very mild and rarely life-threatening. There may also be diarrhea along with nausea and vomiting.

Liver Damage: Another more serious side effect, which only occurs after long-term use and abuse of the drug is liver damage. Hepatotoxicity is a very unfortunate but true side effect of this drug, especially when the drug is a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. This mostly occurs due to hepatocellular injury and inability of the bile to flow from the liver (cholestasis).

How to Avoid Side Effects of Amoxicillin

• Taking a detailed history of the patient before prescribing amoxicillin to any patient is of paramount importance. Most patients that get an allergic reaction to this drug are aware of their tendency to develop them. Hence, taking a detailed case history is the first and foremost way of preventing amoxicillin side effects in toddlers and adults from occurring.
• For most patients that need to be administered amoxicillin, especially if it is to be given intravenously, it is best to do a patch test before to check for any possible allergic reaction, as giving amoxicillin to a person that is allergic to it can lead to a very quick and potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction.
• Cases of people that are even suspected to be allergic to amoxicillin should preferably be given other non-penicillin derivative antibiotics to prevent any allergic reaction to antibiotics.

Although amoxicillin, being the wonder drug that it is, is a huge temptation for doctors, as it encompasses treatment for a range of diseases, however, if the patient gives a history of or even a slight hint of a tendency towards allergy towards amoxicillin, then it is best to avoid giving this drug, so as to completely do away with the possibility of side effects.