There have been reports about the safety problems of the popular antibiotics Zithromax (azithromycin), leading to concerns that this medication may cause some patients to experience grave side effects. On March 12, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety communication alert to patients who are using azithromycin. The warning says that the drug may cause changes to the normal electrical activity of the heart that may result in potentially fatal irregular heart rhythms.
Furthermore, the FDA is advising medical experts to consider an alternative to Zithromax treatment for patients who have preexisting cardiovascular problems.
Zithromax, is a commonly prescribed antibiotic used to treat infections in children and adults. It has also been marketed as a “Z-Pak”because its six-pill packaging in a narrow envelope. Zithromax is taken orally in the form of film-coated tablets with a 250 mg or 500 mg dosage. Zithromax may also be administered for oral suspension in the form of powder available in 300 mg, 600 mg, 900 mg, or 1,200 mg dosage. According to the New York Times, doctors wrote 55.3 million prescriptions for azithromycin in the United States last year.
Some of the types of infections that Zithromax is used to treat include bronchitis, ear infections, lung infections, mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), pneumonia, respiratory infections, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), sinusitis, skin infections, strep throat, staph infections and tonsillitis.
In 2012, a research study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine revealing that patients who took Zithromax had an bigger risk of sudden death from cardiac-related problems than patients who either took similar antibiotics or did not take any antibiotics.
According to the research, there are 47 more deaths for every million people who took Zithromax instead of amoxicillin, which jumps to more than 245 deaths for those at high risks for heart problems. Individuals at high risk include those with heart failure, diabetes, previous heart attacks, prior bypass surgery or with stents implanted. In these individuals, the drug may cause potentially fatal abnormal heartbeats called arrhythmia.
In addition to the cardiovascular problems, other Zithromax side effects may include abdominal pain, changes in vision, diarrhea, difficulty speaking, dizziness, nausea, problems hearing, tiredness, upset stomach, and vomiting. Other less severe side effects may also include headeache, loss of appetite, skin rashes, stomach cramps, and vaginal itching.
Legal reports say that the affected patients of the drug have filed Zithromax heart lawsuits against its manufacturer, Pfizer Inc.
References:
fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm304503.htm
bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-17/antibiotic-zithromax-carries-increase-of-heart-death.html
edition.cnn.com/2013/03/13/health/fda-antibiotic-heart-warning
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