Anesthetics/Aminoglycosides Interactions

This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.

Medical warning:

Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.

How the interaction occurs:

When some antibiotics are given with anesthetics, they may produce increased side effects that may not be seen when either drug is given alone.

What might happen:

You may experience increased paralysis, trouble breathing, or kidney problems.

What you should do about this interaction:

These medicines are used during surgical procedures or in a hospital. If you are to have either inpatient or outpatient surgery, or are to be admitted to the hospital, make sure that all your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) are aware of all the medicines that you are taking. The dose of either medicine may need to be adjusted.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

View Reference
  • 1.Waud BE, Waud DR. Comparison of the effects of general anesthethics on the end-plate of skeletal muscle. Anesthesiology 1975 Nov;43(5):540-7.
  • 2.Corrado AP, Ramos AO, de Escobar CT. Neuro-muscular blockade by neomycin potentiation by ether anesthesia and d-tubocurarine and antagonism by calcium and prostigmine. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 1959;121(3-4):380-394.
  • 3.Vital Brazil O, Prado-Franceschi J. The nature of neuromuscular block produced by neomycin and gentamicin. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 1969 May; 179(1):78-85.
  • 4.Motuz DJ, Watson WA, Barlow JC, Velasquez NV, Schentag JJ. The increase in urinary alanine aminopeptidase excretion associated with enflurane anesthesia is increased further by aminoglycosides. Anesth Analg 1988 Aug; 67(8):770-4.
  • 5.Merino GE, Buselmeier TJ, Kjellstrand CM. Postoperative chronic renal failure: a new syndrome?. Ann Surg 1975 Jul;182(1):37-44.
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  • 7.Pittinger C, Adamson R. Antibiotic blockade of neuromuscular function. Annu Rev Pharmacol 1972;12:169-84.
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  • 9.Jones WPG. Calcium treatment for ineffective respiration resulting from administration of neomycin. J Am Med Assoc 1959 Jun 20;170(8):943-4.
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  • 11.Brady JP, Williams HC. Magnesium intoxication in a premature infant. Pediatrics 1967 Jul;40(1):100-3.
  • 12.Levanen J, Nordman R. Complete respiratory paralysis caused by a large dose of streptomycin and its treatment with calcium chloride. Ann Clin Res 1975 Feb;7(1):47-9.
  • 13.L'Hommedieu CS, Nicholas D, Armes DA, Jones P, Nelson T, Pickering LK. Potentiation of magnesium sulfate--induced neuromuscular weakness by gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin. J Pediatr 1983 Apr;102(4):629-31.
  • 14.Warner WA, Sanders E. Neuromuscular blockade associated with gentamicin therapy. JAMA 1971 Feb 15;215(7):1153-4.
  • 15.Holtzman JL. Letter: Gentamicin and neuromuscular blockade. Ann Intern Med 1976 Jan;84(1):55.
  • 16.Martinez EA, Mealey KL, Wooldridge AA, Mercer DE, Cooper J, Slater MR, Hartsfield SM. Pharmacokinetics, effects on renal function, and potentiation of atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade after administration of a high dose of gentamicin in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs. Am J Vet Res 1996 Nov;57(11):1623-6.
  • 17.Hague BA, Martinez EA, Hartsfield SM. Effects of high-dose gentamicin sulfate on neuromuscular blockade in halothane-anesthetized horses. Am J Vet Res 1997 Nov;58(11):1324-6.
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.