Azithromycin
About Azithromycin
Azithromycin is an antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and sinusitis, acne, ear infections, and sexually transmitted infections. A bacterial infection is a condition in which bacteria grow in the body and cause infection.
Azithromycin contains azithromycin, which slows the growth or sometimes kills the harmful bacteria by preventing the production of proteins required by the bacteria for its survival. Azithromycin does not treat a viral infection like the flu or a common cold.
Not everyone who is taking Azithromycin will get these side effects. Some common side effects of Azithromycin are diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. These side effects are temporary and may resolve on their own over time. However, if these side effects persist, don't hesitate to contact your doctor.
Azithromycin should only be taken if advised by your doctor. It can be taken with or without food but should be consumed at a fixed time for the best results. The Azithromycin should not be consumed in a dose exceeding the recommended amount to avoid unpleasant side effects. Also, the course should be completed even if you feel better.
Inform your physician if you are allergic to Azithromycin, or have any history of liver problems, muscle problems, arrhythmia, or low potassium or magnesium levels. Avoid too much exposure to sunlight as Azithromycin can make your skin sensitive to sunburn. In this case, it is advisable to wear protective clothing or apply sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors. Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking Azithromycin.
Uses of Azithromycin
• Treatment of Bacterial Infections: Azithromycin is commonly prescribed for managing bacterial infections, including respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
• Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: Azithromycin effectively treats skin conditions like cellulitis and other soft tissue infections caused by bacteria that respond to this medication.
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Azithromycin is widely used in the treatment of STIs such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea, due to its efficacy against the bacteria responsible for these diseases.
• Ear Infections (Otitis Media): Azithromycin is also employed in the treatment of otitis media, a middle ear infection often seen in children, to alleviate symptoms and combat the infection.
Medicinal Benefits
- Azithromycin slows the growth or sometimes kills the harmful bacteria by preventing the production of proteins required by the bacteria for its survival.
- It is better tolerated and has more effective tissue penetration than other similar antibiotics like erythromycin.
- Doctors prescribe Azithromycin for people who are intolerant to penicillin antibiotics.
Directions for Use
- Azithromycin can be taken with or without food or as advised by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication.
- Swallow Azithromycin as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, break, or chew it.
Storage
Side Effects of Azithromycin
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach cramps
- Loss of appetite
- Bloating
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Drug Warnings
- Avoid taking Azithromycin if you are allergic to it or other macrolide antibiotics.
- Tell your doctor if you have any history of liver problems, jaundice, myasthenia gravis, heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), or electrolyte imbalance (low potassium or magnesium level).
- In rare cases, the use of Azithromycin can cause diarrhoea, so if you have watery or bloody diarrhoea, stop taking Azithromycin and call your doctor. However, do not take any anti-diarrheal medication until your doctor advises you to do so.
- Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning for pregnancy or breastfeeding before using Azithromycin.
- Inform the doctor if you are using cholesterol-lowering drugs (like simvastatin, lovastatin, etc.), anti-gout drugs (colchicine) and medicine for treating overactive bladder (tolterodine).
- Azithromycin is not recommended for patients with pneumonia (a lung disease) who are judged to be inappropriate for oral therapy due to moderate to severe illness or risk factors.
- It is always important to check the expiry date of the medicine. Discard the medicine if it reaches the expiry date.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Azithromycin may interact with anti-nausea medications (domperidone), mental health medications (pimozide, amisulpride), anti-migraine medications (ergotamine, dihydroergotamine), cholesterol-lowering medications (simvastatin), bladder weakness medications (tolterodine), and anti-gout/arthritis medications (colchicine). Taking these drugs with Azithromycin may cause serious side effects.
Drug-Food Interactions: No relevant drug-food interaction found with Azithromycin.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Azithromycin should not be given to people with liver problems, muscle problems (myasthenia gravis), heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), electrolyte imbalance (low potassium or magnesium level) and colitis (inflammation of the intestine).
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
consult your doctorIt is unknown whether Azithromycin interacts with alcohol or not. Therefore, inform your doctor if you are alcoholic before taking Azithromycin.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorThere is insufficient information available about the use of Azithromycin during pregnancy. Therefore you should not use Azithromycin during pregnancy unless explicitly advised by your doctor.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorAzithromycin is partially passed through the mother’s milk, therefore it should not be used if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
cautionThere are no data available about the influence of Azithromycin on the ability to drive or operate machines. However, Azithromycin may cause dizziness and seizures so make sure you are not affected before driving or operating machinery.
Liver
consult your doctorYou should tell your doctor if you have liver problems as your doctor may need to alter the normal dose.
Kidney
consult your doctorYou should tell your doctor if you have kidney problems as your doctor may need to alter the normal dose.
Children
cautionAzithromycin is not recommended for children less than 6 months of age as the safety and efficacy are not established. For children above 6 months of age, Azithromycin can be used if the doctor has prescribed it.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- It would be best to take probiotics after completing the full course of Azithromycin to replenish healthy bacteria in the intestine that may have been killed. Taking probiotics after antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Certain fermented foods like yoghurt, cheese, sauerkraut and kimchi can help restore the intestine's good bacteria.
- Include more fibre-enriched food in your diet, as it can be easily digested by gut bacteria, which helps stimulate their growth. Thus fibre foods may help restore healthy gut bacteria after taking a course of antibiotics. Whole grains like whole-grain bread and brown rice should be included in your diet.
- Avoid consuming too many calcium-enriched foods and drinks, as it may affect the functioning of Azithromycin.
- Avoid intake of alcoholic beverages with Azithromycin as it can make you dehydrated and affect your sleep. This can make it harder for your body to aid the Azithromycin in fighting off infections.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Bacterial infection: A bacterial infection is a condition in which harmful bacteria enter, multiply, and infect our body. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly. When you get infected with bacteria, you can experience generalized symptoms like fevers, chills, and fatigue. Bacteria are of various forms, commonly spherical, rod-shaped, and spiral-shaped. Bacterial infections vary from minor illnesses like sore throat and ear infections to severe brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis. A few harmful bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli. Anyone can become infected with a bacterial infection. However, people with weak immune systems or taking immunosuppressive medicine can be more prone to bacterial infection.
FAQs
Azithromycin is used to treat bacterial infections such as respiratory tract infections (like pneumonia, bronchitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and sinusitis), skin infections (like acne and rosacea), ear infections, and sexually transmitted infections. It works by killing the harmful bacteria.
Do not take antacids that contain aluminium or magnesium hydroxide within 2 hours before or after you take Azithromycin. These antacids can interact with Azithromycin and make them less effective when taken at the same time.
Never stop the treatment with Azithromycin on your own as the infection may come back again (relapse) if the prescribed treatment is not completely taken. Before stopping Azithromycin once discuss this with your doctor.
If you forget to take Azithromycin, take your dose as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the next dose, just skip that dose and take the next one when it is due. If in doubt, please contact your doctor. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose
Azithromycin can cause diarrhoea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhoea that is watery or bloody, call your doctor. Do not use anti-diarrhoea medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
You should avoid taking Azithromycin if you have colitis (intestine inflammation), heart rhythm disorder, liver disease (like jaundice), and muscle problem (like myasthenia gravis). Contact your doctor if you have these conditions before taking Azithromycin.
No, it is a Schedule H drug that can be taken only if your doctor has prescribed it. Taking it on your own or self-medication can cause unwanted side-effects and lead to antibiotic resistance thereby lowering its efficiency.
Yes in some cases, people using Azithromycin may get a fungal skin infection known as thrush. It happens because Azithromycin also kills harmless bacteria that protects against thrush.
Azithromycin is an effective antibiotic that helps treat bacterial infections. It has a broad spectrum of anti-bacterial activity and is effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
Azithromycin can be taken with or without food.
Azithromycin should be used with caution in patients with liver problems. In some cases, the use of Azithromycin can cause diarrhoea, so if you have watery or bloody diarrhoea, stop taking Azithromycin and call your doctor.
Azithromycin may interact with anti-emetics, neuroleptics, migraine medicines, statins, anticholinergics and anti-gout medicines. Before starting Azithromycin, let the doctor know if you are taking any other medicines to prevent interactions.
Store Azithromycin at room temperature, in a cool and dry place. Keep it out of sight and reach of children.
Side effects of Azithromycin include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. Please consult the doctor if any of the side effects persist or worsen.
Azithromycin slows the growth or sometimes kills the harmful bacteria by preventing the production of proteins required by the bacteria for its survival.
