Adverse Effects
Most common side effects are gastrointestinal: diarrhea (5%), nausea (3%), abdominal pain (3%), and vomiting. Fewer than 1% of patients stop taking the drug due to side effects. Nervousness, dermatologic reactions, and anaphylaxis have been reported. As with all antimicrobial agents, pseudomembranous colitis can occur during and up to several weeks after azithromycin therapy. This drug may interfere with the effectiveness of birth control pills; other forms of contraception may be required during the treatment period. Azithromycin suspension has an objectionable taste, so can be difficult to administer to young children, i.e., 2–5 years, who may spit it out.
Occasionally, patients have developed cholestatic hepatitis or delirium. Accidental intravenous overdosage in an infant caused severe heart block, resulting in residual encephalopathy.
A 2012 study found the drug may increase the risk of death, especially in those with heart problems, compared with those on other antibiotics such as amoxicillin or no antibiotic.
Read more about this topic: Azithromycin
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