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Is Taking Nitrofurantoin Safe For The Elderly?

Posted on Tue, 13 May 2014

Question: I think that XXXX wife should be taken off nitrofurantoin definitively and immediately! The Beers report 2012 has strongly contraindicated the medication for the elderly and so has the British Medical Journal 2012 The medication especially in elderly people can harm the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis) and the liver etc It has also been correlated with secondary causes of death such as the failure of the right ventricle. The doctor might care to respond to the suggestion and advice!

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (1 hour later)

Brief answer.....There is no need to get panicky Detailed answer .... Hello, Thanks for the query. I very much appreciate your concern regarding your friend's wife and also appreciate your medical knowledge but there us no need to get panicky on these published reports. We already know of these liver and lung side effects from the day,this drug was launched, but it is regularly being used across the globe with very very few people getting these side effects. Moreover chances of such types of side effects increase if there is some pre existing disease of lungs or liver or heart etc. We always tell the patient to report any untoward side effect immediately. These side effects are ... Chest pain,shortness of breath,any persisting cough etc. Persistent nausea or vomiting,dark urine,yellowing of eyes,persistent fatigue etc. There is nothing to worry regarding the use of medicine and I shall again say that do report to the doctor about any unusual symptom. I hope it helps,however you may revert to me for any further query. Best of luck Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (22 hours later)

Dear Dr XXXXXXX Thank you for your reply. The British Medical Journal 1982 and the Beers Report 2012 regarding nitrofurantoin strongly contrindicate this medication for elderly people. This medical advice has even been publically made known by "Wiki". Just to confirm your opinion again do you think that a doctor should have no concerns about prescribing the medication to an elderly person (for example a healthy elderly person without relevant to possible adverse effects pre-existing lung, liver etc problems) despite these above mentioned reports? If so your advice goes against the findings of this scientific medical research and perhaps you could explain why this is the case in relation to elderly people giving your scientific medical reasons. Thanking you.

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (47 minutes later)

Hello, This drug is given for short term therapy as well as longterm therapy. I won't mind using this drug if the elderly person is healthy and the use is for short term. In case the elderly person is requiring the drug for a prolonged use,then I would look for some alternate medications. Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar