Ototoxicity refers to damage to the inner ear that leads to functional hearing loss or vestibular disorders by selected pharmacotherapeutics as well as a variety of environmental exposures (eg, lead, cadmium, solvents). This article reviews the fundamental mechanisms underlying ototoxicity by clinically relevant, hospital-prescribed medications (ie, aminoglycoside antibiotics or cisplatin, as illustrative examples). Also reviewed are current strategies to prevent prescribed medication-induced ototoxicity, with several clinical or candidate interventional strategies being discussed.
Keywords: Aminoglycosides; Blood-labyrinth barrier; Cochleotoxicity; Ototherapeutics; Ototoxicity monitoring; Platinum-based therapeutics; Vestibulotoxicity.
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