ear, nose, and throat disorders
Ear Disorders Caused by Drugs
Introduction
Many drugs, including medications, can damage the ears. These drugs are called ototoxic drugs. They include the antibioticsstreptomycin,tobramycin,gentamicin,neomycin, andvancomycin, as well as certain chemotherapy medications (for example,cisplatin),furosemide, andaspirin. Whether people develop drug ototoxicity depends on many factors, including How much of the drug the person took (the dose) How long the person took the drug Whether the person has decreased kidney function, making it harder to clear the drug from a person's body Whether the person has a family history of ear disorders caused by drugs Whether the person's genetic make-up makes the person more susceptible to the effects of ototoxic drugs Whether the person is taking more than one ototoxic drug at the same time In addition to being responsible for hearing, the inner ear is also responsible for balance (see also Overview of the Inner Ear ). 