Clindamycin side-effects

 Q: One of the side-effects of intravenous (IV) Clindamycin is cardiac arrest? 

A) True

B) False

Answer: True

Although gastrointestinal (GI) side effects such as diarrhea and C. difficile colitis are well known, but clindamycin also has a high tendency to cause a generalized allergic reaction. Maculopapular rash, drug fever, eosinophilia, and erythema multiforme are very common. Sweet syndrome, urticaria, Stevens-Johnson alike syndrome, delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions are also described. 

One of the dreaded side-effects of clindamycin is hemodynamic collapse and cardiac arrest. This mostly occurs with rapid  IV infusion. Clindamycin should be given diluted with a slow infusion.

#pharmacology

References:

Aucoin P, Beckner RR, Gantz NM. Clindamycin-induced cardiac arrest. South Med J. 1982 Jun;75(6):768. doi: 10.1097/00007611-198206000-00041. PMID: 7089634.