AZITRHOMYCIN, USES, SIDE EFFECT AND DOSES

Azitromycin : -Azithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.

Azithromycin is used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria, such as respiratory infections, skin infections, ear infection etc

USES :

Azithromycin: Azithromycin is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. It is a macrolide-type antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.This medication will not work for viral infections (such as common cold, flu.)

It's used to treat infections including:

chest infections such as pneumonia.
ear, nose and throat and nose infections such as sinus infection (sinusitis)
skin infections.
Lyme disease.
some sexually transmitted (STIs)

Azithromycin side effects
Azithromycin oral tablet doesn’t cause drowsiness, but it can cause other side effects.
More common side effects
The more common side effects of azithromycin oral tablet can include:
diarrhea
nausea
abdominal (belly) pain
vomiting
headache
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects can include:
Liver problems. Symptoms can include:

tiredness or weakness
loss of appetite
pain in your upper abdomen (belly)
dark urine
yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes

QT prolongation, which can cause a fast or irregular heart rhythm. Symptoms can include:

feeling fluttering in your chest
gasping while sleeping
fainting

Allergic reactions. Symptoms can include:

trouble breathing
swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
hives
severe skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), or toxic epidermal necrolysis, which can cause symptoms such as red, blistering skin or skin sloughing (shedding dead skin cells)

Diarrhea that’s caused by bacteria called Clostridium difficile (C. diff). In addition to diarrhea, symptoms can include-

abdominal (belly) pain
fever
nausea
reduced appetite

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (narrowing or blocking in part of the digestive system in newborns). Symptoms can include:

vomiting after eating
irritability with feeding
lack of weight gain

If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could cause death.
How to take it
Azithromycin is a prescriptional medication. Therefore, people should not take it without a prescription.
The drug is available in the form of a tablet, an oral suspension solution, an eye drop, and an injection. The best type and dosage depends on the infection a person has.
People can take the drug with or without food. They should thoroughly shake the liquid form before use.
Some examples of common dosages include:

Infection	Dosage
community-acquired pneumonia tonsillitis skin infections	an initial dose of 500 milligrams (mg) followed by 250 mg once daily until day 5
mild-to-moderate bacterial COPD exacerbations	500 mg per day for 3 days OR an initial dose of 500 mg followed by 250 mg once daily until day 5
sinus infections	500 mg per day for 3 days
chancroid genital ulcers	a single dose of 1 gram (g)
urethritis cervicitis	a single dose of 1 g
gonococcal urethritis cervicitis	a single dose of 2 g

PRECAUTION:

People who have myasthenia gravis a condition that causes muscle weakness, may develop worsening symptoms or breathing problems.

People with a history of allergic reactions to macrolides or ketolides should not take azithromycin.

Doctors should not prescribe this drug to treat pneumonia if a person:

has cystic fibrosis
has a hospital-acquired infection
has bacteremia
requires a stay in the hospital
is older or debilitated
has a significant underlying health problem, such as immune system problems

People should not rely on azithromycin to treat syphilis

A person should speak to a doctor about any existing heart, kidney, and liver conditions before taking azithromycin, including an irregular heartbeat and especially QT prolongation.

Pericardial Effusion,

reference. ABM Abdullah