[Aminoglycoside antibiotics from a clinical viewpoint].

Indications, side effects, dosage and pharmacokinetic properties of gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomicin, kanamycin and amikacin are reviewed. Different aspects of aminoglycoside antibiotics in combination with beta-lactam antibiotics are briefly discussed. Finally, the indications for the assay of serum levels of aminoglycosides are listed. Gentamicin, tobramycin and sisomicin appear to be very similar with regard to in vitro performance, clinical efficacy and pharmacology. Ototoxic and nephrotoxic side effects are observed - in decreasing order of frequency - with sisomicin, gentamicin and tobramycin. The advantage of amikacin is its stability against enzymatic inactivation, which should make it an agent of first choice against aminoglycoside-resistant gram-negative bacteria.