Zithromax

General information

Azithromycin or Zithromax is a fairly effective third-generation antibiotic and has a complex multi-level formula. This medication has minimal resistance to different types of pathogenic bacteria, and it helps in most inflammatory diseases.

The group of antimicrobial macrolide includes Azithromycin drug, which is one of the safest antibiotic medications.

This antibiotic is a systemic antibacterial agent.

• Therapeutic dose of Zithromax inhibits the division and reproduction of microflora, and its concentration completely destroys pathogenic microorganisms.
• This antibiotic of macrolide group is most effective against anaerobic microflora, all types of streptococci, ureoplasma, mycoplasma, campylobacter and bordetella.
• Such health disorders as pharyngitis, sore throat, tonsillitis, acute infections of the respiratory tract
• Sinusitis, frontitis, otitis, tracheitis, duodenitis, cholecystitis, gastric ulcer, purulent dermatitis, duodenal ulcers
• The drug has a sufficiently high efficacy against pneumonia, pleurisy and bronchiectasis
• Cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis, periodontitis, flux, periostinitis, and inflammatory processes in soft tissues.
• In case of arachnoiditis, encephalitis and meningitis
• Depending on the dosage, the antibiotic contains active ingredient in a dose of 125, 250 or 500 mg in 1 capsule or tablet.

Precautions

Like any other pharmacological preparations, this antibiotic medication has its own contraindications and you should use it with certain precautions.

Firstly, it is the individual intolerance of the drug by the patient – an allergy to the active agent. Counter-indications to this drug also include allergic reactions to other antimicrobial agents included into the macrolide group.

Secondly, you can not give this medication to children before six months, as well as lactating and pregnant women.

Thirdly, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the drug tolerates really well by patients, with the exception of people suffering from intolerance and allergies to erythromycin antibiotics.

Zithromax (Azithromycin) Dosage

The dosage of this drug depends on the inflammatory disease severity in various fields of medicine, for example:

1. Otolaryngological diseases:

• The lesion of the paranasal sinuses – sinusitis: frontal sinusitis, antritis, ethmoiditis as well as sphenoiditis.
• Tonsilitis – amygdalopathy, including strep throat.
• Inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa – pharyngitis.
• The lesion of the tympanic cavity – otitis media.

2. Pathologies of the respiratory apparatus:

• Inflammation of the lung tissue of various etiologies – inflammation of the lungs.
• Chronic bronchitis.

3. Any surgical pathology in which sensitivity to this active ingredient has been identified.

4. Dermatovenerological diseases:

• Erysipelatous inflammation.
• superficial pyoderma.
• consecutive dermatosis.

5. Urogenital diseases:

• Cervical inflammation – cervicitis.
• Gonorrheal as well as urethritis.
• Bladder disease – cystitis.

6. The early stages of erythema migrans – borreliosis or Lyme disease.

How to take Zithromax (Azithromycin )?

There is a general rule which prescribes that this remedy. You should use it once a day, just an hour prior or two hours post meal. In case of infections of upper and lower respiratory, infections of the skin and soft tissues tract the adults, you can take 0.5 g per day during 3 days.

When it's not complicated urinary tract diseases – one time 2 tablets of 0.5 g. You may give to children 10 mg per kg of the child weight once a day during 3 days. You should check the dosage with a special care, because children organism may react different to the drug.

Doctors don't recommend to take the drug by breastfeeding and pregnant women. This is due to the fact that this remedy is able to penetrate the hematological barrier between the placenta and the fetus and negatively affect the child in the womb.

You can take this medication during pregnancy only if its positive effect on the mother’s body is more important than that harmful to the fetus.

Zithromax (Azithromycin) Side-effects

The antibiotic with the discussed active ingredient, in addition to the main therapeutic effect, can provoke side reactions. Possible adverse reactions from various organs and systems include different disorders manifestations of:

• Gastrointestinal tract
• Skin reactions
• Central nervous system
• Cardiovascular system
• Genitourinary system
• Allergic reactions

Zithromax (Azithromycin) Overdose

The following side effects can be manifested in case of taken high dose of the remedy: temporary hearing loss, sickness, vomiting, diarrhea. The first aid in this case stomach lavage and other symptomatic therapy.

Zithromax is usually well tolerated, but in some cases there may some certain side reactions occur.

• General conditions: in rare cases candidiasis and edema can be manifested.
• Blood-forming system: this active ingredient seldom provokes thrombocytopenia.
• Reproductive system: rare cases of vaginitis have been reported in patients taking this drug.
• Digestive system: sickness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea often appeared
• Rarely – pancreatitis, gaseous distention, constipation, tastes and smells perversion, anorexia, also the change in the tongue color.
• Urinary system: there is a small likelihood of impaired kidney function, also interstitial nephritis.
• Liver and gallbladder: while treatment with this drug such disorders as infectious hepatitis, jaundice, same as impaired liver function rarely occurred.

You should use the drug carefully in following cases:

The antibiotic of macrolide group made to fight many bacterial diseases. The most used dosage form is capsules. The dosage and frequency of the drug administration must prescribes by doctor and only by an individual physician, based on the clinical symptoms of the pathology and concomitant circumstances.

Firstly, a human's heart: there have been many cases of cardiac abnormalities when using Zithromax, such as arrhythmia, tachycardia, hypotension, increased heart rate. Besides, the same you should do with any other antibiotic drug.

Secondly, with problems of nervous system, organs of sight, hearing: rarely there were observed such disorders as hyperactivity

Thirdly, with anxiety, aggressiveness, convulsions, dysguesia, taste-blindness

The other conditions for careful drug use:

• Insomnia, hearing or vision impairment, headache, excessive fatigue, fainting, hypoesthesia, asthenia, anosmia, paresthesia.
• Skin: this antibiotic can rarely be the cause of allergic reactions, like photosensitivity, swelling, itching, necrolysis, rashes, Stevens-Johnson syndrome or erythema.
• Muscles and bones: infrequently, the drug can cause myasthenia gravis, arthralgia.

Alcohol interaction

Because the treatment with antibiotics gives a serious stress for the digestive and excretory systems of even a practically healthy person. It is not necessary to test your body for strength and use alcohol while treating serious infections with this remedy.

It is important to remember: the compatibility of this medication and alcohol is kept at zero.