Uses
What should I know before taking this drug
Precautions
Dosage information
Adverse reactions
Storage
Additional information if any
Azithral disper tab (Alembic)
Azithro tab (Ind-swift)
Azithromycin is a prescription drug available from your pharmacy store only with the prescription of a qualified medical practitioner.
Azithromycin is pronounced as: a-ZITH roe MYE sin
Azithromycin is an anti infective / antibacterial drug belonging to macrolide group of antibiotics.
Azithromycin is used in following conditions
- Prophylaxis &treatment of Mycobacterium Avium complex(MAC)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- as an alternative to penicillin in sensitive patients in the prophylaxis of rheumatic fever and bacterial endocarditis
- Chlamydia infections
- Community acquired pneumonia
- Gonorrhoea
Azithromycin can also be used in some dental surgeries to prevent infection.
Take Azithromycin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you do not understand ask your pharmacist, nurse or doctor to explain them to you.
Take azithromycin capsule on empty stomach 1hr before or 2hrs after meals with 1 glass of water at regular intervals as prescribed by your doctor.
Azithromycin oral suspension or tablet can be taken with or with our food.
Oral suspension dose should be measured with measuring spoon not with regular table spoon.
Do not skip any doses. Continue to take it even when you feel better.
You must complete the entire course of medication to get maximum benefit; else the infection will not clear completely and in due course result in development of resistance.
- Azithromycin is known to interact with wide variety of drugs. Inform your doctor if you are taking any OTC or prescription medicine like
- Anticoagulants (warfarin)
- Anti migraine drugs(ergotamine)
- Anti convulsants (carbamazepine, phenytoin)
- Anti hypertensive like sotalol,felodipine,
- Cholesterol lowering drugs( lovastatin)
- HIV drugs(Nelfinavir, Indinavir)
- Inform your doctor if you have following medical conditions as Azithromycin should be used cautiously in the below mentioned conditions
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- History long QT syndrome
- History of cardiac arrhythmias
Do not use azithromycin if you are allergic to other macrolide antibiotics like erythromycin.
What are the precautions I should follow for azithromycin?
Children:
Old people:
Pregnant woman: Azithromycin belongs to FDA pregnancy category B. This means that azithromycin is safe during pregnancy and is not expected to cause any harm to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or are planning for conception.
Lactating women: It is not known whether azithromycin passes into breast milk or if it could harm the baby. Do not take azithromycin with out first talking to doctor if you are breast feeding baby.
Other:
Azithromycin can decrease the efficacy of combination type birth pills. Consult your doctor regarding other effective contraceptives like condom, diaphragm, spermicidal gels etc to avoid pregnancy.
Azithromycin is available as tablet, suspension and injection. Your doctor will prescribe them depending on the severity and condition of the disease.
Use as directed by your physician, your physician prescribes depending on the severity of disease.
Use the complete course of medication as prescribed by your physician even though you feel better after one or two days of usage of medication.
For detailed dosage information, consult your doctor who will prescribe you depending on the severity of the disease.
If it is almost the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not take two doses at same time to cover up the missed dose.
In case of overdose contact your nearest poison control centre or emergency medical centre for immediate care by physician.
The overdose symptoms of Azithromycin are
- severe diarrhea
- nausea &vomiting
- abdominal pain
Azithromycin may causes following side effects like
- Abnormal taste
- Diarrhoea
- Ringing sensation in the ears(tinnitus)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sleep disturbance
Consult your doctor immediately if notice following symptoms.
- Allergic reaction like swollen lips, hives, difficulty in breathing, rashes peeling of skin, blistering etc
- Severe diarrhoea associated with bloody stools
- Jaundice( yellowing of eyes and skin)
- Palpitations, irregular heartbeat
- Decrease in hearing ability
Store azithromycin at room temp (15 – 30 degrees C). Avoid excessive heat, moisture or direct sunlight, never store in the bathroom.
Keep it out of reach of children. Make sure that any leftover portion is disposed off safely.
Azithromycin can not treat viral infections like common cold or influenza(Flu)
Azithromycin sensitizes the skin to sunlight. Avoid prolong exposure or use long sleeved clothing and sunscreen (SPF-15) when you go out in the sun.
Antibiotics usually cause mild diarrhoea. Consult your doctor immediately if it is severe, associated with mucus or bloody stools, as it could be sign of new infection or pseudomembranous colitis.
When used for long duration, your doctor may ask you to undergo laboratory test like complete cell count, liver function test, Renal function test to look for possible side effects.
It is imp to read manufacturing packaging instruction carefully if available and always do not hesitate to consult pharmacist or physician for any information.
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date: Feb25th,09