In general, the beta-lactam class of antibiotics (which includes penicillins like amoxicillin and certain cephalosporins) tends to have the least frequent and least severe side effects overall. Among commonly prescribed antibiotics, azithromycin is noted for having particularly few gastrointestinal side effects.
Penicillins (like amoxicillin), certain cephalosporins, and macrolides (used with caution) are commonly used in seniors when appropriate, because they typically have fewer severe side effects and lower risks of interactions when prescribed appropriately.
The incidence of diarrhea varies by antibiotic type; however, clindamycin, cephalosporins, and amoxicillin-clavulanate have a higher incidence. Causes of diarrhea are disruption of the normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract or direct irritation to the GI mucosa by a drug.
Pharmacists assume that the safest antibiotics are macrolides (average rank place of 2,99 ± 0,15 of 8), cephalosporins (3,12 ± 0,15) and penicillins (3,38 ± 0,22), the most toxic are tetracyclines (5,61 ± 0,17).
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics can cause serious side effects in people who are at risk of heart valve problems. Stop taking fluoroquinolone treatment straight away and see your GP if you get a serious side effect including: swollen ankles, feet and legs (oedema)
Feeling nauseous and vomiting after taking antibiotics are common side-effects. These are not an allergic reaction. Many people think they are allergic to antibiotics, especially penicillin. But in most people antibiotic allergies disappear after a few years.
Always tell your pharmacist about any medicines you or your child are taking. Some of the side effects that may occur include: Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhoea or loose bowel motions, oral or vaginal thrush.
These antibiotics may cause adverse reactions, some of which may be severe, and liver problems:
Temafloxacin: A safe antibiotic for the elderly, patients with comorbidities, and other special populations.
Antibiotics work to rid your body of disease-causing bacterial infections. They can restore your health, prevent serious complications, and even safeguard your life. But using antibiotics when you don't need them won't help you get better; in fact, it can be harmful.
Which antibiotics are the worst for gut health?
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, and use rehydrating beverages high in electrolytes if needed. Avoid alcohol and caffeine if they're making your diarrhea worse. Keep in mind alcohol may actually cause severe reactions while you are taking certain antibiotics, so check the label for that information, as well.
Macrolides and tetracyclines have a very low risk, making them excellent choices when appropriate. First-generation cephalosporins carry substantially lower risk than third or fourth-generation cephalosporins. Piperacillin-tazobactam has the lowest C. difficile rate of any broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Lowest risk:
Cipro, Levaquin, and other Quinolones
Quinolones are a type of antibiotic that has much more serious side effects than was known when they were first approved by the FDA.
How to Take Antibiotics Safely
Avoid antimicrobials with a high risk of CDI (cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, co-amoxiclav, clindamycin) whenever possible. Proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, lansoprazole, esomeprazole) are also associated with an increased risk of CDI.
The "90/60 rule" in antibiotics is a guideline stating that infections from bacteria deemed susceptible in lab tests succeed about 90% of the time with appropriate treatment, while infections from bacteria classified as resistant still respond successfully in about 60% of cases, bridging the gap between lab results (in vitro) and real-world outcomes (in vivo) by acknowledging factors like the immune system, drug penetration, and patient conditions.
In general, β-lactams have the least frequent and least severe side effects. Although any antibiotic is capable of causing side effects, specific agents from each antibiotic class are more likely to do so than others.
Doxycycline is a commonly used antibiotic known for being effective against a broad range of bacterial infections. Whether you're dealing with a sinus infection, acne, or even Lyme disease, doxycycline might be prescribed to help you get better.
Based on recent guidelines that target specific antibiotics for mitigation of CDI1 and other studies,4-7 we defined 4 antibiotic classes as high risk: cephalosporins (second-, third-, and fourth-generation: cefoxitin, cefprozil, cefaclor, cefotetan, cefuroxime, ceftibuten, cefdinir, cefixime, cefotaxime, cefpodoxime, ...
Any time antibiotics are used, they can cause side effects. However, antibiotics can save lives.
flucloxacillin should not be used in patients with a history of hepatic dysfunction associated with flucloxacillin. flucloxacillin should be used with caution in patients with hepatic impairment. careful enquiry should be made about hypersensitivity reactions to beta-lactam antibacterials.
1. Although both antibiotics are effective against Group A beta haemolytic streptococci, the minimum inhibitory concentration for amoxicillin is lower than that for flucloxacillin (≤0.03µg/ml for amoxicillin versus and 0.1 µg/ml for flucloxacillin) (Istre el at 1981, Medsafe, accessed 19.02.
As all pharmaceuticals, antibiotics can have medicine-related side effects such as rashes, nausea and diarrhea. Some can cause severe side effects such as kidney toxicity or central nervous system symptoms. Serious adverse effects are rare overall but of great importance in clinical practice.