Medicines used to treat pressure on the brain caused by
meningitis include:
- Dexamethasone.
- Mannitol
(Osmitrol).
These medicines reduce swelling (inflammation)
in the brain tissues, which may lower the risk of developing short-term
complications such as seizures and long-term complications such as hearing
loss.
Taking dexamethasone along with the first course of antibiotics is
recommended for adults with pneumococcal meningitis.1, 2 It has been shown to lower the
chance of disability and death.
Some side effects that can occur
from these medicines include nausea and stomach discomfort, drowsiness or
trouble sleeping, mood swings, and ringing in the ears.
Citations
Tunkel AR, Scheld WM (2005). Acute meningitis. In GL Mandell et al., eds., Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 6th ed., pp. 1083-1126. Philadelphia: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
Hirschmann JV (2006). Bacterial infections of the central nervous system. In DC Dale, DD Federman, eds., ACP Medicine, section 7, chap. 36. New York: WebMD.
Tunkel AR, Scheld WM (2005). Acute meningitis. In GL Mandell et al., eds., Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 6th ed., pp. 1083-1126. Philadelphia: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
Hirschmann JV (2006). Bacterial infections of the central nervous system. In DC Dale, DD Federman, eds., ACP Medicine, section 7, chap. 36. New York: WebMD.
