BMJ 1994;308:1437 (28 May)

Letters

Ciprofloxacin in general practice

EDITOR, - The Lesson of the week by Roland J Korner and colleagues highlighted the dangers of fluoroquinolones.1 We have also noted that patients with chest infections have been treated with ciprofloxacin in general practice; the slower resolution of their Streptococcus pneumoniae infection required a change of antimicrobial agent, and one patient died.

We understand, however, that ciprofloxacin is not promoted as first line treatment in general practice for community acquired chest infections, but some general practitioners in our area have provided promotional material that does. This material contains data showing that 14.4% of bacterial pathogens in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis are S pneumoniae.

Bantz and colleagues (some of whom worked for Bayer) are cited in Bayer's promotional leaflet for Ciproxin; they mentioned a >95% resolution rate but compared only doxycycline with ciprofloxacin and made no reference to bacterial pathogens. In the same supplement to the American Journal of . . . [Full text of this article]


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Doern, G. V., Tillotson, G. S., Karcic, A. A., Khan, F. A. (2001). Fluoroquinolone Pharmacodynamics and Efficacy. Chest 120: 319-320 [Full text]  
  • Asscher, S (1994). Safety of thalidomide. BMJ 309: 193c-194 [Full text]  
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