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Drug-related gustatory disorders
The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology
|January 1, 1978
Summary
Certain medications can cause taste disturbances, including metallic, bitter, or salty sensations, and even complete taste loss. These drug-induced gustatory disorders are often reversible after discontinuing the medication.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Drug-induced gustatory disorders are recognized adverse effects of various medications.
- Commonly reported taste disturbances include metallic, bitter, or salty phantogeusias and hypogeusias.
- These can sometimes progress to ageusia (complete loss of taste).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review identified drug-induced gustatory disorders.
- To present personal observations on six cases of taste disturbances linked to specific drugs.
- To highlight the reversibility of these conditions upon treatment cessation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of drug-induced gustatory disorders.
- Case series reporting six patients experiencing taste alterations.
- Analysis of medications implicated: phenylbutazone, carbamazepine, chlormezanone, and baclofen.
Main Results:
- Several drugs have been identified as causes of gustatory disorders.
- Six cases demonstrated taste disturbances attributed to phenylbutazone, carbamazepine, chlormezanone, and baclofen.
- These taste abnormalities resolved within weeks to months after drug withdrawal.
Conclusions:
- Drug-induced gustatory disorders are a potential side effect of certain medications.
- Prompt identification and discontinuation of the causative agent are crucial for recovery.
- Taste function is generally reversible after cessation of offending drugs.