Ketek is the brand name for the antibiotic telithromycin. Originally this antibiotic debuted in Europe in 2001 and it eventually made its way to the United States a few years later. Many now attest the antibiotics inclusion on the United States' market was premature. This is due to a number of negative effects on the liver that are associated with the use of the drug. Of course, this was not the original intention. At one point, telithromycin was considered a near wonder drug deigned to destroy the bacteria that cause respiratory infections. (Such infections are often the result of bronchitis, out of control strep throat and chronic pneumonia) While the drug has proven successful in dealing with these infections, it has also proven to be a rather dangerous drug as well.
As previously mentioned, telithromycin has become somewhat notorious due to the fact that the antibiotic has been blamed for liver damage and failure. Obviously, such an onset is an extremely serious situation namely due to the fact that it is life threatening. This is why if any discomforting side effects start to occur when taking telithromycin it is critical to seek medical attention as soon as possible. These side effects include abdominal cramps, a feeling of nausea, yellowing skin or eyes (jaundice), and even instances of blood in the urine. Shockingly, there will be those who experience these symptoms and opt not to seek the care of a physician. Such inaction has serious consequences as the damage to the liver can potentially become even worse. As the condition worsens, the ability to properly treat it becomes significantly more difficult. This is clearly a scenario one should avoid.
While the number of liver and health problems with the drug has proven minimal, the fact remains that these problems do occur. As such, one needs to use the drug with extreme caution. (The drug does come with the infamous FDA "black box warning" which is reserved for only the most dangerous drug on the market) If you do feel trepidation about taking the drug, please notify your physician of your concerns. Perhaps an alternate antibiotic would be preferred in such an instance.
