In addition to numerous other side effects, fluoroquinolone drugs (also known as quinolone antibiotics) have been linked to serious liver failure and liver damage complications. Quinolones have been heavily prescribed and used across the country, but many consumers still remain unaware of the potential, dangerous quinolone side effects and may be at risk of liver toxicity and liver failure.

Quinolone antibiotics, such as Avelox, Cipro, and Levaquin, are strong antibiotics used to treat, or in some cases prevent, a number of bacterial infections. Quinolones may be used treat conditions such as urinary tract infections, sinus infections, ear infections, and many other common bacterial conditions.

According to medical reports, the trend of over-prescribing fluoroquinolone drugs has led bacteria to become stronger and more resilient to weaker antibiotics. While the decreased effectiveness of quinolone drugs is concerning, the known quinolone side effects may be even more frightening. 

Thousands of individuals have filed complaints with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for alleged quinolone liver failure, liver toxicity, and several other quinolone side effects. Over a 13 year period, 2,500 deaths were allegedly caused by quinolone side effects. Another 45,000 adverse side effect reports concerning quinolone antibiotics were filed with the FDA. This is most likely only a small fraction of the individuals who have been affected by quinolone side effects. It is estimated that only 10 percent of adverse drug reactions are reported to the FDA.

Quinolone Liver Toxicity and Liver Failure

Fluoroquinolone drugs have been known to increase the risk of liver damage. One study published in 2012 in the Canadian Medial Association Journal found that Avelox and Levaquin significantly increased the risk of liver toxicity or liver failure when compared to other quinolone drugs.

This quinolone study began in 2002 and continued until 2011, spanning almost a decade of fluoroquinolone research. Quinolone side effects were examined in patients from several different hospitals who did not have a history of liver toxicity.

While the overall risk of quinolone side effects was relatively small (six quinolone liver damage cases per 100,000 patients), liver toxicity and liver failure can be extremely dangerous and require a patient to undergo surgery, medication, and monitoring to manage. Liver failure may also be deadly in some instances. 

While the researchers concluded that fluoroquinolone drugs increased the risk of liver toxicity/liver failure, they agreed that further research would be required in order to determine the extent of the possible damage quinolone drugs could cause to an individual’s liver. 

Thousands of quinolone lawsuits have been filed across the country against the manufacturers of Avelox, Cipro, Levaquin, and other quinolone antibiotics. Quinolone lawsuits have often alleged that the manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff about potential quinolone liver failure or liver toxicity and that these same manufacturers knew or reasonably should have known about quinolone side effects.