Metronidazole
Although metronidazole is generally well tolerated with minimal adverse effects,
patients have reported a variety of reactions across physiological systems.
Central Nervous System. Headache, dizziness, vertigo, incoordination, ataxia,
confusion, dysarthria, irritability, depression, weakness, and insomnia have been
reported by patients taking metronidazole. More severely, patients have reported
convulsive seizures, encephalopathy, aseptic meningitis, optic/peripheral neuropathy
(namely numbness and parasthesias) during treatment (Sarna, Furtado Brownell,
2013, p. 768).
Gastrointestinal. Nausea (with or without headache or vomiting,) diarrhea, epigastric
distress, abdominal cramping, and constipation are the most common adverse effects
reported during metronidazole therapy. Patients have commonly reported a sharp,
metallic taste; glossitis and stomatitis have occurred, and may be related to Candida
overgrowth during successful therapy; patients with known Chron s disease ... Show
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Mayer et al. (2015) examined the rapid and significant changes to vaginal microbiota
following antibacterial treatment for BV, and found that metronidazole, although the
first line treatment for BV, is not effective ultimately effective against G. vaginalis;
within 24 hours of administration, there was complete reorganization of the vaginal
microbiota, with G. vaginalis reemergence within 7 days. It is speculated that drug
resistance may be partially responsible for their results. By contrast, Waheed, Yaseen
Shami (2015) evaluated the most effective therapy to prevent complications of
pregnancy caused by BV, and obtained a 74% cure rate using 0.75% metronidazole
cream; this was similar in results to use of 2% clindamycin vaginal cream, although
the clindamycin regimen is shorter in duration (p.