Patient was educated on the side effects of using Meropenem as follows:
- Opportunistic fungal infections
- The friendly normal flora residing in the human body help prevent growth of opportunistic infections.
- Meropenem by destroying the normal flora, tips the balance in favor of opportunistic infections.
- So, long term use of Meropenem carries a risk of opportunistic fungal infections, such as, thrush and yeast infections.
- Anaphylaxis
- A rare, but serious anaphylactic response can occur for Meropenem.
- Patients can present with extreme itching and rash, swelling of the face and throat, dizziness, bronchoconstriction, and difficulty breathing.
- This is an emergency and medical attention should be sought immediately, without any delay.
- Ototoxicity
- Meropenem intake in high doses can lead to reversible hearing loss.
- Sometimes, the damage can be severe causing the hearing loss to be permanent.
- Normal therapeutic doses of Meropenem in individuals with compromised renal function can lead to incomplete elimination of Meropenem and elevated drug levels for longer duration, thus precipitating ototoxicity and hearing loss.
