Adverse reactions of metronidazole and precautions when taking it

In clinical practice, metronidazole is a commonly used drug for the treatment of diseases such as meningeal infection and septicemia. So, what are the adverse reactions of metronidazole in clinical practice?

Adverse reactions of metronidazole:

The most common digestive tract reactions include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and abdominal cramps, which generally do not affect treatment; nervous system symptoms include headache, dizziness, occasional sensory abnormalities, limb numbness, ataxia, multiple neuritis, etc., and large doses can cause convulsions. A small number of cases may develop urticaria, flushing, itching, cystitis, dysuria, metallic taste in the mouth, and leukopenia, all of which are reversible and recover on their own after stopping the drug.

Metronidazole precautions:

(1) The drug is metabolized by the liver. In patients with liver dysfunction, the drug may accumulate and the dosage should be reduced as appropriate. (2) The sodium salt intake should be reduced during use. Excessive salt intake may cause sodium retention. (3) It may induce candidiasis and anti-candidal drugs may be used in combination if necessary. (4) It may cause peripheral neuritis and convulsions. In such cases, discontinuation of the drug (or reduction of dosage) should be considered. (5) It may cause changes in blood counts, such as leukopenia, etc., and attention should be paid. The metabolites of this product may make the urine dark red.