ototoxicity
Pronunciation: oh-toe-tox-IS-ih-tee
Damage to the inner ear structures, particularly the cochlear hair cells and vestibular system, caused by certain medications or chemical agents.
Full Definition
Ototoxicity refers to the property of certain substances—most notably aminoglycoside antibiotics, loop diuretics, platinum-based chemotherapy agents (such as cisplatin), and high-dose salicylates—to cause toxic damage to the cochlea, auditory nerve, or vestibular end organs. The resulting hearing loss may be temporary or permanent, unilateral or bilateral, and may be accompanied by tinnitus or balance disturbance. Audiological monitoring during ototoxic drug therapy is a defined clinical service. Editors should ensure the adjective form is 'ototoxic' and the related noun is 'ototoxin'; 'ototoxicity' is the state or property, not the agent. Ototoxicity monitoring protocols are distinct from routine audiometric assessments.
Usage
Usage note: Use 'ototoxic' as the adjective and 'ototoxin' for the causative agent; 'ototoxicity' is the noun for the condition or property. Do not conflate with vestibulotoxicity, which specifically denotes vestibular damage.
In Context
- "Ototoxicity monitoring was initiated when the oncology team prescribed cisplatin for the patient's lung carcinoma." — Audiological monitoring protocol
- "The patient's high-frequency bilateral hearing loss was attributed to ototoxicity following prolonged gentamicin therapy." — Audiological case report