Final answer:
Ototoxic medications such as certain antibiotics, salicylates, diuretics, and chemotherapy drugs can result in irreversible sensorineural hearing loss by damaging inner ear structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some ototoxic medications can cause sensorineural hearing loss. It is important to understand that vulnerability to hearing loss varies across individuals and that such factors as the accumulated dose of the ototoxic drugs can make a substantial difference in outcomes.
Examples of ototoxic medications include aminoglycoside antibiotics (such as gentamicin), large quantities of salicylates (like aspirin), loop diuretics (such as furosemide), and chemotherapy drugs (like cisplatin). These medications can damage the inner ear's hair cells or auditory nerve, leading to hearing loss, tinnitus, or balance disorders.
Hearing loss caused by ototoxic drugs is often irreversible. Conductive hearing losses might be mitigated with hearing aids, but sensorineural hearing loss, often a result of ototoxicity, is not typically treatable by this means. Instead, strategies to manage sensorineural hearing loss include cochlear implants for cases where hearing aids are not effective. Still, prevention and careful monitoring are critical when using ototoxic medications.