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

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Multiple Choice

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

Explanation:
Long-term exposure to certain antibiotics, especially aminoglycosides, can damage the inner ear’s sensory cells, causing sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlea is particularly susceptible, so high-frequency hearing is often lost first. This makes hearing the sense most commonly affected with prolonged antibiotic therapy. Tinnitus or dizziness can accompany the ototoxic effect, reflecting vestibular involvement, but touch, taste, and smell are not typically impacted in this scenario.

Long-term exposure to certain antibiotics, especially aminoglycosides, can damage the inner ear’s sensory cells, causing sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlea is particularly susceptible, so high-frequency hearing is often lost first. This makes hearing the sense most commonly affected with prolonged antibiotic therapy. Tinnitus or dizziness can accompany the ototoxic effect, reflecting vestibular involvement, but touch, taste, and smell are not typically impacted in this scenario.

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