[Ototoxic drugs. I. Aminoglycoside antibiotics].

The fact that some drugs can affect the hearing function is well known. All aminoglycoside antibiotics have the potential to induce severe and irreversible ototoxicity in the cochlea and vestibular organ. The mechanism causing aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss is still not well established. Nevertheless, today aminoglycosides are the most commonly used antibiotics world wide thanks to their high efficacy and low cost. In this review pharmacological and toxicological properties of aminoglycoside antibiotics are described as well as risk factors and pathophysiology of aminoglycosides ototoxicity. Current hypotheses concerning the mechanisms of aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity are also discussed.