AZILIN Tablet

Lower respiratory tract infections: Acute bacterial bronchitis, Community acquired pneumonia. Upper respiratory tract infections; Acute sinusitis, Acute otitis media. Uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections, Sexually transmitted diseases; Uncomplicated cervicitis, Uncomplicated Chlamydia infections and non-gonococcal urethritis. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Chlamydia trachomatis conjunctivitis and trachoma, Prevention of infection due to Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Complex (MAC) disease.

Dosage and administration

Adults: 500mg once daily for 3 days or 500mg no first day then 250mg once daily for 4 days.

Children: Over 6 months: 10mg/kg once daily for 3 days.

Uncomplicated genital chlamydial infections and non gonococcal urethritis: 1g as a single dose.

Known hypersensitivity to azithromycin or any of the macrolide antibiotics. it should not be prescribed in patients with hepatic diseases.

The majority of side-effects are gastrointestinal in origin with anorexia, nausea, abdominal discomfort (pain/cramps), flatulence, vomiting and diarrhoea. Hearing impairment including hearing loss, deafness and or tinnitus, interstitial nephritis and acute renal failure. Cases of abnormal liver function including hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice. Reductions in neutrophil counts, chest pain, melaena, nephritis, vaginitis, headache, vertigo, dizziness, convulsions, somnolence and fatigue. Allergic reactions including arthralgia, oedema, urticaria, rash, photosensitivity, angioedema and anaphylaxis. Less frequently, serious skin reactions including erythema multiforme, Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, have occurred.

It should only be used in pregnant or lactating women where adequate alternatives are not available.

Use with caution in patients with renal dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction; hepatic impairment with or without jaundice. It may be accompanied by malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal colic, and fever, discontinue use if these occur. May mask or delay symptoms of incubating gonorrhoea or syphilis, so appropriate culture and susceptibility tests should be performed prior to initiating Azithromycin. Pseudomembranous colitis has been reported with use of macrolide antibiotics. Use caution in patients at risk of prolonged cardiac repolarization.

Azithromycin acts by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit of susceptible organisms, thus interfering with microbial protein synthesis. Nucleic acid synthesis is not affected.