Ototoxicity is damage of the ear (oto), specifically the cochlea or auditory nerve and sometimes the vestibulum, by a toxin (often medication).

Causes

A number of drugs have been associated with damage to the cochlea. The best known are aminoglycoside antibiotics, aspirin, nicotine, some chemotherapy agents (cisplatin, carboplatin, vincristine) and some loop diuretics such as furosemide.

Erythromycin and some other macrolide antibiotics can induce temporary deafness, which resolves upon withdrawal of the drug.

Other chemicals such as toluene, mercury and carbon monoxide are also known ototoxic chemicals.

There appears to be a hereditary predisposition to ototoxic reactions.

Symptoms

Symptoms include partial or profound hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus.

Treatment

No specific treatment is available, but immediate withdrawal of the drug is warranted.

See also

• Toxicity
• Neurotoxicity
• Nephrotoxicity

External links

• Ototoxic Medications
• Articles on Ototoxic Drugs by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.