Azithromycin Precautions and Warnings 

Azithromycin:  What Should  I Tell My Healthcare Provider? 

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking azithromycin (Zithromax®) if you: 

• Have liver disease or failure 
• Have kidney disease or failure 
• Have any heart problems 
• Have myasthenia gravis   
• Are pregnant  or thinking of becoming pregnant 
• Are breastfeeding 
• Have  any allergies to medications 
• Will be having any surgery. 

Also tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you may be currently taking, including  prescription and non-prescription medicines, oral contraceptive, blood-thinners, antacids,  vitamins, and herbal supplements.
  
Some Azithromycin Precautions  and Warnings 

Some precautions and warnings  to be aware  of with azithromycin include: 

• Azithromycin can interact with certain other  medications (see Azithromycin Drug Interactions). 

• Azithromycin is considered pregnancy Category B medicine. This means that it has not been studied in pregnant women. When studied in animals, however, azithromycin showed no negative effects on unborn babies. Before using azithromycin, let your healthcare provider know  if you are pregnant  or thinking of becoming pregnant.

• If  you have severe  kidney disease, your healthcare provider may choose to lower the dose of azithromycin normally given  or opt to not prescribe this medication at all. 

• If you have severe liver disease,  your healthcare provider may choose to lower the dose of azithromycin normally given or not prescribe this medication at all. 

• It is known that azithromycin passes through breast milk. Therefore,  if you are nursing and taking azithromycin, it is recommended that you stop nursing. 

• Many antibiotics, including azithromycin, have been known  to cause pseudomembranous colitis (severe diarrhea). If you experience severe, watery diarrhea; blood in your stools; stomach pain; and/or a low-grade fever  while taking azithromycin, contact your healthcare provider immediately. 

• Other infections have been known to occur during treatment with antibiotics. If you are taking azithromycin and you notice any symptoms unrelated to the condition you are being treated for, talk with your healthcare provider. 

• Azithromycin may worsen myasthenia gravis symptoms. In some cases, it has even been reported to cause the condition. 

• Taking azithromycin has been known to increase the chance of developing oral and vaginal yeast infections.    

• Never take outdated azithromycin. Taking any outdated medication may cause serious problems because the intended effects often change after expiration. 

Who Should Not Take Azithromycin? 

You  should not take azithromycin  if you are allergic to azithromycin, related medications (such as clarithromycin or erythromycin), or any inactive ingredients used in making azithromycin. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist has  a list of the inactive ingredients in azithromycin. 
 
Azithromycin Precautions and Warnings: Summary 

There are a number of situations in which azithromycin should not be taken,  as well as a number of precautions and warnings that people should be aware of with azithromycin.  However, it is possible that not all  the warnings or precautions for azithromycin were discussed in this article. If you still have any questions about azithromycin precautions  and warnings after reading this article, be sure  to consult your healthcare provider. 

Notes: DrJMinor

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EditText of this page (last edited December 12, 2009)