Antibiotics and risk of arrhythmia and death
May 1, 2014
Another study has demonstrated that the commonly used antibiotics azithromycin and levofloxacin raised the risk of arrhythmia and death when compared to amoxicillin. In a retrospective cohort study of 1.8 million U.S. veterans (mean age 56.8 years), antibiotic use was linked to death rate and serious arrhythmias. The average use of azithromycin was 5 days, while levofloxacin and amoxicillin were generally used for 10 days. Azithromycin was associated with a hazard ratio for death of 1.48 (95% CI, 1.05-2.09) and serious arrhythmia 1.77 (95% CI, 1.20-2.62) compared to amoxicillin users. The hazard ratios for levofloxacin were 2.49 for death (95% CI, 1.7-3.62) and 2.43 for serious arrhythmia (95% CI, 1.56-3.79). The higher rates of events dropped off quickly after the drugs were discontinued (Ann Fam Med2014;12:121-127). The FDA issued a warning regarding azithromycin and fatal heart arrhythmias in May 2013. The risk for levofloxacin may be just as significant.
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