Which sense is most often affected in patients on long-term antibiotic therapy?

Which sense is most often affected in patients on long-term antibiotic therapy?

• A. Touch
• B. Taste
• C. Smell
• D. Hearing

Answer: (D)

Hearing is the sense most often affected because many long-term antibiotics, especially aminoglycosides like gentamicin and tobramycin, are ototoxic. They can accumulate in the inner ear fluids and injure the hair cells in the cochlea, producing sensorineural hearing loss. This loss often begins at higher frequencies and may progress with continued exposure; balance problems from vestibular toxicity can also occur. The effect is more common with prolonged or high-dose therapy and can be irreversible, which is why monitoring hearing is important during extended antibiotic courses. In contrast, touch, taste, and smell are not commonly impacted by long-term antibiotic use, so hearing impairment stands out as the most typical sensory effect.

Hearing is the sense most often affected because many long-term antibiotics, especially aminoglycosides like gentamicin and tobramycin, are ototoxic. They can accumulate in the inner ear fluids and injure the hair cells in the cochlea, producing sensorineural hearing loss. This loss often begins at higher frequencies and may progress with continued exposure; balance problems from vestibular toxicity can also occur. The effect is more common with prolonged or high-dose therapy and can be irreversible, which is why monitoring hearing is important during extended antibiotic courses. In contrast, touch, taste, and smell are not commonly impacted by long-term antibiotic use, so hearing impairment stands out as the most typical sensory effect.