Ciprofloxacin and other antibiotics that are known as fluoroquinolones may be associated with tendon rupture, tendonitis, and retinal detachment. Patients who received them had a higher risk for aneurysms than patients who did not receive the antibiotics.

Earlier this month the FDA added another update about the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics to include mental health issues. The mental health side effects to be included in the labeling across all the fluoroquinolones are disturbances in attention, disorientation, agitation, nervousness, memory impairment and delirium.

The previous FDA update warning was about potentially permanent side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and the central nervous system.

The FDA stated: “Because the risk of these serious side effects generally outweighs the benefits for patients with acute bacterial sinusitis, acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and uncomplicated urinary tract infections fluoroquinolones should be reserved for use in patients with these conditions who have no alternative treatment options.”

FDA link: https://www.fda.gov/