Human myocardial responses to antibiotics: gentamicin, tobramycin and cephalothin

Although myocardial toxicity of certain antibiotics has been suggested by animal studies, their effects on human cardiac muscle has not been established. Accordingly, human right atrial trabeculae contracting isometrically in vitro were exposed to increasing doses of the antibiotics gentamicin, tobramycin and cephalothin. Contractile responses were measured and dose-response curves calculated by a polynomial regression analysis. All three antibiotics demonstrated a dose-related decrease in relative developed force although resting force remained constant. Concentrations of gentamicin, tobramycin and cephalothin that caused 50% depression of developed force were 1.97, 1.92 and 52.75 mg/mL, respectively. These doses were 200, 200 and 2600 times the accepted serum toxic concentrations for gentamicin, tobramycin and cephalothin, respectively. The depression caused by cephalothin is probably related to ionic changes within the bath solution. In conclusion, gentamicin and tobramycin have myocardial toxicity at high concentrations which should not occur clinically when used judiciously.