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Current Drug Safety

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ISSN (Print): 1574-8863
ISSN (Online): 2212-3911

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Case Report

Cerebellar Dysfunction in an Elderly Male After a Brief Course of Metronidazole

Author(s): Upinder Kaur, Ishan Kumar, Anup Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Sankha Shubhra Chakrabarti *

Volume 14, Issue 2, 2019

Page: [163 - 166] Pages: 4

DOI: 10.2174/1574886314666190206154735

Price: $65

Abstract

Background: Metronidazole, a widely used antibacterial and antiprotozoal drug, is often the drug of choice in amoebic liver abscess. The drug, otherwise safe, can cause serious central nervous disturbances in rare circumstances.

Case Report: Here, we report a case of cerebellar dysfunction in the form of slurring of speech and episodes of falls, in an elderly male following a three-week course of metronidazole therapy.

Results and Conclusion: The patient manifested classic radiologic features of metronidazole neurotoxicity. Marked improvement in clinical symptoms was seen following drug discontinuation.

Keywords: Nitro imidazole, pharmacovigilance, pharmacogenetics, neurotoxicity, amoebiasis, CSF.

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