Pronunciation: ay-ZITH-roe-MYE-sin
Generic Name: Azithromycin
Brand Name: Zmax
Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension is used for:
Treating mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension is a macrolide antibiotic. It slows the growth of, or sometimes kills, sensitive bacteria by reducing the production of important proteins needed by the bacteria to survive.
Do NOT use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension, to other macrolide antibiotics (eg, erythromycin), or to ketolide antibiotics (eg, telithromycin)
- you have a history of liver problems or yellowing of the skin or eyes caused by any doseform (eg, tablets, suspension, injection) of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension
- you are taking cisapride, dofetilide, dronedarone, nilotinib, pimozide, propafenone, or tetrabenazine
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Before using Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension:
Some medical conditions may interact with Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
- if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
- if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
- if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
- if you have liver or kidney problems, an irregular heartbeat, myasthenia gravis, or are on a low-salt (sodium) diet.
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:
- Antiarrhythmics (eg, disopyramide, dofetilide, dronedarone, propafenone), arsenic, astemizole, bepridil, chloroquine, cisapride, dolasetron, domperidone, droperidol, halofantrine, haloperidol, histone deacetylase inhibitors (eg, romidepsin), lithium, maprotiline, methadone, paliperidone, pentamidine, phenothiazines (eg, thioridazine), pimozide, quinolone antibiotics (eg, levofloxacin), terfenadine, tetrabenazine, toremifene, tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline), vandetanib, or ziprasidone because the risk of heart problems, including irregular heartbeat, may be increased
- Nelfinavir because it may increase the risk of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension's side effects
- Rifamycins (eg, rifampin) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension or they may decrease Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension's effectiveness
- Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), carbamazepine, cyclosporine, digoxin, ergot derivatives (eg, ergotamine), nilotinib, phenytoin, theophylline, triazolam, or tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitors (eg, dasatinib) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension
This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension:
Use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension comes as a powder that must be mixed with water before you take it. Your pharmacist will usually mix it for you. If you receive Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension as a powder, check with your pharmacist for instructions on how to mix it. You should take Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension within 12 hours after it is mixed with water.
- Take Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension by mouth on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating.
- Shake well before use.
- Contact your doctor if you vomit within 1 hour after you take Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. You may need additional medicine to treat your infection.
- If Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension is for a child, measure the prescribed dose using a measuring device marked for medicine dosing. Ask your pharmacist for help if you are unsure of how to measure the dose. If any medicine remains after you give the dose, discard it appropriately, out of the reach of children and away from pets.
- To clear up your infection completely, take the entire dose of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension.
- Only one dose of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension is required. If you forget to take Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension, take it as soon as you remember.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension.
Important safety information:
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or light-headedness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension may cause you to become sunburned more easily. Avoid the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. Use a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a short time.
- Mild diarrhea is common with antibiotic use. However, a more serious form of diarrhea (pseudomembranous colitis) may rarely occur. This may develop while you use the antibiotic or within several months after you stop using it. Contact your doctor right away if stomach pain or cramps, severe diarrhea, or bloody or watery stools occur. Do not treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor.
- Long-term or repeated use of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension may cause a second infection. Tell your doctor if signs of a second infection occur. Your medicine may need to be changed to treat this.
- Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.
- Severe and sometimes fatal liver problems have been reported with the use of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of liver problems (eg, yellowing of the skin or eyes; dark urine; pale stools; severe or persistent nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite; unusual itching). Discuss any questions or concerns with your doctor.
- Be sure to use the entire dose of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. If you do not, the medicine may not clear up your infection completely. The bacteria could also become less sensitive to this or other medicines. This could make the infection harder to treat in the future.
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension only works against bacteria; it does not treat viral infections (eg, the common cold).
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension should be used with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 6 months; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension should be used with extreme caution in CHILDREN if it is used to treat a bacterial sinus infection; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed.
- PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of taking Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension while you are pregnant. It is not known if Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension is found in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you take Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension, check with your doctor. Discuss any possible risks to your baby.
Possible side effects of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension:
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Diarrhea or loose stools; headache; mild stomach pain; nausea; vomiting.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing or swallowing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness; wheezing); bloody or watery stools; changes in hearing or hearing loss; chest pain; dark, red, raised areas of the skin; eye or vision problems; fainting; irregular heartbeat; muscle weakness; pounding in the chest; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe or persistent diarrhea; severe stomach cramps or pain; symptoms of liver problems (eg, yellowing of the skin or eyes; dark urine; pale stools; severe or persistent nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite; unusual itching); trouble speaking or swallowing; unusual vaginal itching, odor, or discharge.
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your doctor or health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088). You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
If OVERDOSE is suspected:
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately. Symptoms may include diarrhea; nausea; upset stomach; vomiting.
Proper storage of Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension:
Store Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C). Do not refrigerate or freeze. Use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension within 12 hours of mixing. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension out of the reach of children and away from pets.
General information:
- If you have any questions about Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people. Do not use Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension for other health conditions.
- If your symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
- Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Azithromycin Extended-Release Oral Suspension. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
More Azithromycin resources
- Azithromycin Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Drug Images
- Azithromycin Drug Interactions
- Azithromycin Support Group
- 105 Reviews for Azithromycin - Add your own review/rating
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