Azithromycin
Bacterial infections and diseases, such as chlamydia, must be treated with antibiotics. One of the most common antibiotics prescribed for the treatment of chlamydia is azithromycin. This brief overview of azithromycin provides the most important facts about this antibiotic.
Azithromycin belongs to the class of antibiotics known as macrolide antibiotics. It is partially synthesized from the antibiotic erythromycin, and it can be used to treat a wide variety of bacteria. In addition to chlamydia, azithromycin is also used to treat bacterial pneumonia, strep throat, typhoid and other bacterial infections.
How Does Azithromycin Work?
Like other macrolide antibiotics, azithromycin interferes with a bacterium’s ability to make proteins. This prevents the growth of bacteria and allows the body to bring the infection under control.
Azithromycin Dosage
Patients who are suffering from chlamydia are typically prescribed 4 x 250mg doses of azithromycin. The antibiotic is available in tablet form, but it can also be taken as an oral suspension. Other bacterial infections may be treated with different doses of azithromycin, and the tablet and suspension forms of the antibiotic are available in several different dosage amounts.
How Long Does a Course of Azithromycin Last?
For chlamydia, the course of azithromycin usually consists of a single dose of one gram of the antibiotic. Other bacterial infections may require a longer course of treatment. In any case, most people will not be on azithromycin for more than five days.
How Effective is Azithromycin?
Azithromycin is extremely effective against those bacterial infections for which it is prescribed. It is one of the most commonly used antibiotics around the world, and it has proven its effectiveness consistently in the thirty years since it was first introduced.
Azithromycin Side Effects
As with most medications, there are several side effects that may accompany a course of azithromycin treatment. The most common side effects are minor and no cause for alarm. These may include:
- minor stomach pain
- upset stomach or nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- mild skin rash
There are other side affects that are quite rare but potentially life-threatening. Patients should contact the doctor immediately if they suffer any of these symptoms while on a course of azithromycin:
- itching, hives or a serious skin rash
- bodily swelling
- irregular heartbeat or a heartbeat that is rapid or pounding
- yellow eyes or skin
- a hoarse voice
What Other Medications Affect Azithromycin?
Certain medications may cause adverse effects if they are taken in conjunction with azithromycin. Patients who are advised to take the antibiotic for chlamydia or other infection should notify the doctor if they are on anticoagulant drugs, ergotamine, digoxin, cyclosporine, dihydroergotamine, terfenadine, phenytoin, nelfinavir or drugs that may suppress the immune system.
Who Should Not Take Azithromycin?
Patients who know they are allergic to antibiotics such as clarthomycin, erythromycin or dirithromycin should also advise the doctor, as should women who are breast-feeding, pregnant or who want to become pregnant. Those who in the past have suffered from or who currently suffer from kidney disease, HIV, cystic fibrosis, liver disease or an irregular heartbeat should also tell their doctor.
