Clarithromycin: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

What Drug Clarithromycin?

What is Clarithromycin for?

Clarithromycin is a drug used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. This medication is also used together with anti-ulcer medications to treat certain types of stomach ulcers and prevent certain bacterial infections.

Clarithromycin is an antibiotic drug in the macrolide class. This drug works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This medicine does not work for viral infections (such as colds and flu). Improper or incorrect use of antibiotics can cause a decrease in the performance of the drug itself.

How to use the drug Clarithromycin?

Take this medication with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually every 12 hours. Before using this medication, make sure you shake the bottle. Measure the dose using a measuring spoon. Do not use a household spoon as the dosage can be inappropriate.

Antibiotics work best when the amount of medicine in your body remains at a constant level. So, take this medicine more or less at the same time every day and with even breaks.

Dosage and length of treatment depend on your health condition and response to therapy. In children, the dose can also be determined based on body weight.

If you are taking a medication to treat an infection, continue using this medication until the prescribed one is finished, even if the symptoms disappear after a few days.

Stopping the drug too quickly can allow the bacteria to continue to grow, which can eventually become infected again.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it gets worse.

If you are taking medications to prevent certain bacterial infections, use them exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not stop medication without your doctor's approval. Tell your doctor if you have signs of infection such as fever or night sweats.

Follow the rules given by your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How do you store the drug Clarithromycin?

Clarithromycin is a drug that is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal agency about how to safely dispose of your product.

Clarithromycin dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dosage of Clarithromycin for adults?

To treat tonsillitis / pharyngitis (sore throat), the dose of clarithromycin is 250 mg orally every 12 hours for 10 days.
To treat sinusitis, the clarithromycin dose is 500 mg orally every 12 hours for 14 days
To treat bronchitis, the dose of clarithromycin is 500 mg orally every 12 hours for 7-14 days
To treat pneumonia, the clarithromycin dose is 250 mg orally every 12 hours for 7 days
To treat skin infections, the dose of clarithromycin is 250 mg orally every 12 hours for 7-14 days

What is the dosage of Clarithromycin for children?

The child's dose ≥6 months for tonsillitis / pharyngitis is 7.5 mg / kg orally every 12 hours for 10 days
Child dosage ≥6 months for sinusitis is 7.5 mg / kg orally every 12 hours for 10 days
The child's dose ≥6 months for pneumonia is 7.5 mg / kg orally every 12 hours for 10 days
The child's dose ≥6 months for otitis media is 7.5 mg / kg orally every 12 hours for 10 days
Child dosage ≥6 months for skin infections is 7.5 mg / kg orally every 12 hours for 10 days

In what dosage is Clarithromycin available?

The availability of clarithromycin drugs is 250 mg and 500 mg tablets.

Clarithromycin side effects

The most common side effects of the drug clarithromycin are:

Stomach ache
Gag
Diarrhea
Unusual or unpleasant taste in the mouth
Teeth change color
Headache
Mild itching or rash
Vaginal itching or unusual discharge

Tell your doctor right away if you experience serious side effects such as:

Headache with chest pain and severe dizziness, fast or pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, or fainting
Diarrhea that is watery or bloody
Fever, enlarged glands, body aches, flu symptoms, and cough
Skin rash, easy bruising or bleeding, severe tingling, numbness, pain, and muscle weakness
Dizziness, vomiting, swelling, rapid weight gain, and less or no urination
Hearing disorders
Severe skin reaction

Not everyone experiences the above side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Clarithromycin Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using Clarithromycin?

Some things to consider before using clarithromycin are:

Allergy.Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergy to clarithromycin or other medications. Also tell your doctor if you have any other allergies, such as allergies to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription drugs, read the label or ingredients carefully.
Children. There is no clear information regarding the use of cladribine in children.
Elderly.Many drugs have not been studied specifically for the elderly. However, clarithromycin is not thought to cause different side effects or problems in the elderly than it does in younger adults.

Is Clarithromycin safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category C according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, which is equivalent to the POM in Indonesia.

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

A = Not at risk
B = No risk in several studies
C = May be risky
D = There is positive evidence of risk
X = Contraindicated
N = Unknown

There is not yet sufficient information about the safety of using this medicine during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication.

Clarithromycin Drug Interactions

What medicines may interact with Clarithromycin?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this document. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription / non-prescription drugs and herbal products) and consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication without your doctor's approval.

Although certain drugs cannot be used together, in other cases 2 different drugs can be used simultaneously although drug interactions may occur. In this case, the doctor can change the dose, or other warnings may be needed. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription drugs.

Using this medication with the following drugs is not recommended. Your doctor may not treat you with this drug or change the medicine you are taking.

Alfuzosin
Amifampridine
Astemizole
Bepridil
Cisapride
Colchicine
Conivaptan
Dihydroergotamine
Dronedarone
Eletriptan
Eliglustat
Eplerenone
ErgoloidMesylates
Ergonovine
Ergotamine
Fluconazole
Ivabradine
Ketoconazole
Lomitapide
Lovastatin
Lurasidone
Maraviroc
Mesoridazine
Methylergonovine
Methysergide
Naloxegol
Nelfinavir
Nimodipine
Pimozide
Piperaquine
Posaconazole
Ranolazine
Saquinavir
Silodosin
Simvastatin
Sparfloxacin
Terfenadine
Thioridazine
Tolvaptan
Ziprasidone

Using this drug with other drugs is usually not recommended, but may be needed in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may have changed the dose or frequency of use of one or both drugs.

Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine
Afatinib
Ajmaline
Alprazolam
Amiodarone
Amitriptyline
Amlodipine
Amobarbital
Amprenavir
Anagrelide
Apixaban
Apomorphine
Aprepitant
Aprindine
Aprobarbital
Aripiprazole
Arsenic Trioxide
Artemether
Asenapine
Atazanavir
Atorvastatin
Avanafil
Axitinib
Azithromycin
Bedaquiline
Bosutinib
Brentuximab Vedotin
Bretylium
Buserelin
Butabarbital
Butalbital
Cabazitaxel
Cabozantinib
Carbamazepine
Ceritinib
Chloroquine
Chlorpromazine
Cilostazol
Ciprofloxacin
Citalopram
Clomipramine
Clonazepam
Clozapine
Cobicistat
Crizotinib
Cyclobenzaprine
Dabigatran Etexilate
Dabrafenib
Daclatasvir
Dasatinib
Delamanid
Desipramine
Deslorelin
Dexamethasone
Digoxin
Diltiazem
Disopyramide
Docetaxel
Dofetilide
Dolasetron
Domperidone
Doxepin
Doxorubicin
Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
Droperidol
Dutasteride
Ebastine
Efavirenz
Enzalutamide
Eribulin
Erlotinib
Erythromycin
Escitalopram
Eslicarbazepine Acetate
Estazolam
Eszopiclone
Etravirine
Everolimus
Famotidine
Felbamate
Felodipine
Fentanyl
Fingolimod
Flecainide
Fluoxetine
Fluticasone
Formoterol
Foscarnet
Fosphenytoin
Galantamine
Gatifloxacin
Gemifloxacin
Gonadorelin
Goserelin
Granisetron
Halofantrine
Haloperidol
Halothane
Histrelin
Hydrocodone
Hydroquinidine
Ibrutinib
Ibutilide
Idelalisib
Ifosfamide
Iloperidone
Imipramine
Isoflurane
Isradipine
Itraconazole
Ivacaftor
Ixabepilone
Lapatinib
Letrozole
Leuprolide
Levofloxacin
Levomilnacipran
Lopinavir
Lorcainide
Losartan
Lumefantrine
Macitentan
Mefloquine
Mephobarbital
Methadone
Methohexital
Metronidazole
Midazolam
Mifepristone
Mitotane
Mizolastine
Modafinil
Morphine
Morphine Sulfate Liposome
Moxifloxacin
Nafarelin
Nafcillin
Nicardipine
Nifedipine
Nilotinib
Nintedanib
Nisoldipine
Norfloxacin
Nortriptyline
Octreotide
Ofloxacin
Olanzapine
Ondansetron
Ospemifene
Oxcarbazepine
Oxycodone
Paliperidone
Paroxetine
Pasireotide
Pazopanib
Pentamidine
Pentobarbital
Perampanel
Perflutren Lipid Microsphere
Perphenazine
Phenobarbital
Phenytoin
Pipamperone
Pirmenol
Pixantrone
Pomalidomide
Ponatinib
Primidone
Probucol
Procainamide
Prochlorperazine
Promethazine
Propafenone
Protriptyline
Quetiapine
Quinidine
Quinine
Regorafenib
Retapamulin
Rifabutin
Rifapentine
Rilpivirine
Risperidone
Ritonavir
Roflumilast
Romidepsin
Ruxolitinib
Salmeterol
Secobarbital
Sertindole
Sevoflurane
Sildenafil
Siltuximab
Simeprevir
Sirolimus
Sodium Phosphate
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
Solifenacin
Sorafenib
Sotalol
Spiramycin
St. John's Wort
Sulfamethoxazole
Sunitinib
Suvorexant
Tacrolimus
Tadalafil
Tamoxifen
Tamsulosin
Telaprevir
Telavancin
Telithromycin
Temsirolimus
Tetrabenazine
Thiopental
Ticagrelor
Tizanidine
Tolterodine
Topotecan
Toremifene
Trabectedin
Tramadol
Trazodone
Triazolam
Trimethoprim
Trimipramine
Triptorelin
Vandetanib
Vardenafil
Vemurafenib
Venlafaxine
Verapamil
Vilanterol
Vilazodone
Vinblastine
Vincristine
Vincristine Sulfate Liposome
Vinflunine
Vinorelbine
Vorapaxar
Voriconazole
Vorinostat
Warfarin
Zaleplon
Zidovudine
Zileuton
Zolpidem

Interactions with these drugs can increase the risk of serious side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may have changed the dose or frequency of use of one or both drugs.

Acenocoumarol
Alfentanil
Bromocriptine
Conjugated Estrogens
Cyclosporine
Darunavir
Delavirdine
Diazepam
Esterified Estrogens
Estradiol
Estriol
Estrone
Estropipate
Ethinyl Estradiol
Glipizide
Glyburide
Hexobarbital
Indinavir
Linezolid
Methylprednisolone
Nevirapine
Pravastatin
Prednisone
Repaglinide
Rifampin
Rivaroxaban
Tipranavir

Can food or alcohol interact with Clarithromycin?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals, especially with certain types of food, because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your doctor.

What health conditions may interact with Clarithromycin?

Some of the health conditions that may interact with the clarithromycin drug are:

History of jaundice
History of heart disease and heart rhythm disorders (eg long QT, torsades de pointes, or ventricular arrhythmias)
History of liver disease
History of kidney disease
History of porphyria (enzyme problems)
Myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness)
Hypokalemia (low potassium level in the blood)
Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium levels in the blood)

Clarithromycin overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Symptoms of a clarithromycin overdose are:

Abdominal pain
Nausea
Gag
Diarrhea

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.