Important warnings
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea warning:Almost all antibiotics, including azithromycin, can cause diarrhea. It may cause mild diarrhea to severe inflammation of your colon, which can cause death. Call your doctor if you have severe diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts after you stop taking this drug.
Liver problems warning: In rare cases, this drug can cause liver problems. If you already have liver disease, it could make your liver function worse. Your doctor may need to monitor your liver function. They may do blood tests to check how well your liver is working. If your liver isn’t working well, your doctor may have you stop taking this drug.
What is azithromycin?
Azithromycin is a prescription drug. It’s available as an:
oral tablet
oral suspension
extended-release oral suspension
eye drop
intravenous form that a healthcare provider can give
The oral tablet is available as a generic drug as well as the brand-name drug Zithromax. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version.
Why it’s used
Azithromycin is used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria. It should not be used to treat infections caused by viruses, such as the common cold. Azithromycin may be used in combination with other antibiotics when it’s used to treat mycobacterium avium complex infection.
How it works
Azithromycin works by stopping bacteria from multiplying. This kills the bacteria and treats your infection.
Azithromycin side effects
Azithromycin oral tablet doesn’t cause drowsiness but it can cause other side effects.
More common side effects
The more common side effects of azithromycin oral tablet can include:
diarrhea
nausea
stomach pain
vomiting
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects can include:
liver problems, with symptoms such as:
tirednessor weakness
loss of appetite
pain in your upper stomach
dark urine
yellowing of your skinor the whites of your eyes
QT prolongation, which can cause fast or irregular heart rhythm
allergic reactions, with symptoms such as:
trouble breathing
swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
hives
severe skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), or toxic epidermal necrolysis, which can cause symptoms such as red, blistering skinor skin sloughing (shedding dead skin cells)
Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (in newborns). Symptoms can include:
vomiting after eating
irritability with feeding
lack of weight gain
If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could cause death.
Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Azithromycin is a category B pregnancy drug. That means two things: Studies of the drug in animals have not shown a risk to pregnancy, and there aren’t enough studies done in pregnant women to show if the drug poses a risk.
How to take azithromycin
All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:
your age
the condition being treated
how severe your condition is
other medical conditions you have
how you react to the first dose
Forms and strengths
Generic: Azithromycin
Form: oral tablet
Strengths: 250 mg, 500 mg, 600 mg
Brand: Zithromax
Form: oral tablet
Strengths: 250 mg, 500 mg, 600 mg
For bronchitis
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
Typical dosage is 500 mg once per day for three days. Your doctor may also prescribe 500 mg taken as a single dose on Day 1, followed by 250 mg once per day on Days 2–5.
For sinusitis
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
Typical dosage is to take 500 mg once per day for three days.
Child dosage (ages 6 months–17 years)
Typical dosage is 10 mg/kg of body weight once per day for three days.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For skin and skin structure infections
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
Your doctor may prescribe 500 mg taken in a single dose on day 1, followed by 250 mg once per day on days 2–5.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For urethritis and cervicitis
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
If your infection isn’t caused by gonorrhea, you’ll typically take a single 1-gram dose. If you are treating a symptom of a gonorrhea infection, you’ll typically take a single 2-gram dose.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For genital ulcer disease
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
The doctor will typically prescribe a single 1-gram dose.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For acute middle ear infection
Child dosage (ages 6 months–17 years)
The typical dosage is 30 mg/kg of body weight taken as a single dose. The doctor may also prescribe 10 mg/kg of body weight on day 1, followed by 5 mg/kg per day on days 2–5.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For community-acquired pneumonia
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
Your doctor may prescribe 500 mg in a single dose on Day 1, followed by 250 mg once per day on Days 2–5.
Child dosage (ages 6 months–17 years)
Children of this age typically take 10 mg/kg of body weight in a single dose on day 1. Then they take 5 mg/kg once per day on days 2–5.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For mycobacterium avium complex disease
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
For treatment, typical dosage is 600 mg once per day, taken with the drug ethambutol.
For prevention, typical dosage is 1,200 mg once per week.
Child dosage (ages 0–6 months)
This drug should not be used in children who are younger than 6 months.
For pharyngitis or tonsillitis
Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)
Your doctor may prescribe 500 mg in a single dose on day 1, followed by 250 mg once per day on days 2–5.
Child dosage (ages 2–17 years)
The typical dosage is 12 mg/kg of body weight once per day for five days.
Child dosage (ages 0–2 years)
This drug should not be used for this condition in children who are younger than 2 years.
Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always to speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you.