Azithromycin for children and adults - instructions for use

Azithromycin is a new generation of semi-synthetic antibiotic with a wide spectrum of action. It is one of the first representatives of the subclass of azalides, whose structure differs somewhat from antibiotics of the macrolide class. The modern preparation is effective against an overwhelming number of pathogenic microorganisms.

Because the spectrum of antibiotic use is very extensive, for convenience of use it is produced in a variety of dosage forms. Due to specific features, Azithromycin is well tolerated by patients of any age, and is approved for use in children. Let us dwell in more detail on this preparation and tell you about its main advantages and method of application.

Azithromycin - description of the preparation

Azithromycin is effective against most Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The drug is used to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases, the occurrence of which is provoked by pathogens that are sensitive to azithromycin. In this case, the drug has no therapeutic effect against bacteria resistant to erythromycin.

When ingested, the antibiotic acts bacteriostatically by creating high concentrations of the active substance in the inflammatory focus. The active substance is azithromycin dihydrate. Due to its good solubility in fats and resistance to acidic environment, the drug is rapidly absorbed from the digestive tract and easily penetrates into soft tissues, skin, biological fluids, respiratory tract, urogenital organs.

The maximum concentration of the active substance in the plasma is reached 2 hours after administration. Azithromycin is able to maintain the concentration necessary for the destruction of bacteria, within 5-7 days after the last administration. This feature of the antibiotic allowed to develop optimal 3-5 day courses of treatment. Most of the drug( 60%) is excreted from the body with bile in an unchanged form, about 5% is excreted in the urine.

Varieties and Analogues

Pharmaceutical industry produces Azithromycin in various forms:

• Tablets( film-coated)
• Gelatin capsules
• Powder for suspension

Azithromycin tablets contain 250 mg or 500 mg of azithromycin plus excipients. In gelatin capsules, the dosage of the active ingredient is also 250 mg and 500 mg. Powder or granules of Azithromycin are intended for the preparation of a suspension. The drug Azithromycin 3 is packed in cardboard packs and contains three capsules with an active ingredient concentration of 500 mg. Like any other drug Azithromycin has a number of analogues:

• Azimitsin
• Azithromycin Forte
• Sumamed
• Zitrotsin
• Zitrolid
• Sumamoks
• Hemomitsin

Indications

Instructions for use Azithromycin recommends the use of a medicament for the treatment of the following disease states:

1. Infectious Diseases of the respiratory
2. Infectious lesionsskin and soft tissues
3. Diseases of the reproductive and genitourinary system, including transmittedth through
4. Diseases ENT
5. dermatological diseases provoked by secondary bacterial infection
6. In a combination therapy for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori

The purpose of the antibiotic for the treatment of pathological conditions should be performed by a physician taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient, the severity of the disease and the presence of concomitant pathologies. The drug is not intended for self-use, especially in children. Azithromycin has quite a few side effects, it needs to be taken in strict accordance with the instructions and according to a certain scheme, which the specialist will appoint.

Instruction for use

The dosage of the drug is selected individually and depends on the severity of the disease and the sensitivity of the pathogen that provoked the infection. The main advantage of Azithromycin is the ability to take the medication only once a day.

This is quite enough to achieve a therapeutic effect. Adults appoint one tablet( 250 mg) one hour before meals or 2 hours after eating. If this condition is not observed, the therapeutic effect of the drug is slowed down, since food prevents the absorption of azithromycin from the gastrointestinal tract. With infections of respiratory and ENT organs, skin and soft tissue lesions, adult patients on the first day of treatment are prescribed Azithromycin at a dose of 500 mg for a single dose.

From the second to the fifth day of treatment, it is enough to take one tablet of the drug( 250 mg) once a day. With a shorter course of treatment( 3 days), it is enough to take 500 mg of Azithromycin once a day. To treat urogenital infections and sexually transmitted diseases, it is enough to take a single dose of the drug in a dose of 1000 mg. When treating Lyme disease on the first day, take 100 mg of the drug, from the second to the fifth day - 500 mg of antibiotic.

With peptic ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, the drug is prescribed as part of complex therapy and taken within 3 days in a single volume of 1000 mg. In children older than 12 years and weighing more than 50 kg, the drug is prescribed in the same dosage as in adults. For younger children, the dose of Azithromycin is calculated taking into account the age and weight of the small patient. Azithromycin for children is calculated by the formula - 10 mg / kg of weight. This amount of the drug is taken once on the first day of treatment, in the following days the dose of the drug should be half as much.

For the treatment of children, Azithromycin is more often used not in tablet form, but in the form of a suspension. The suspension is prepared from the powder according to the instructions to the preparation. For the convenience of dosing, a special syringe and a measuring spoon are embedded in the medicine package. Children under 6 months of age are not prescribed Azithromycin. From the age of six months to one year, the drug can be used in a minimum dosage of 5 mg / kg body weight.

The medication is taken once a day for three days. In older children, the dose is calculated according to the instructions, depending on the age, it ranges from 10 to 20 mg / kg of body weight. On the first day of admission the child is given the maximum possible dose of the drug, in the following days of treatment, the dosage is halved. In severe cases, the dose of Azithromycin may be increased, the dosage and the regimen prescribed by the pediatrician, and treatment is administered under his supervision.

Azithromycin is often prescribed to children with angina. This infectious disease is threatened with serious complications, so the use of antibiotic from the class of macrolides is more than justified. Azithromycin in children with angina is used as a suspension. In this case, the active component of the drug reaches its highest concentration in the glands, which are the breeding grounds of the infection. A great advantage of using Azithromycin is a very short course of treatment( 3 days) and the ability to take the medication once a day.

The drug continues to operate for a week after the termination of the course of reception due to the fact that the necessary therapeutic dose of the antibiotic is accumulated and stored in the tissues. The necessary treatment regimen and dosage for angina is determined by the doctor.

Azithromycin during pregnancy

It is not advisable to use an antibiotic during pregnancy. The active substance is able to penetrate the placenta to the fetus and excrete with the mother's milk during breastfeeding.

In case of acute need, Azithromycin may be prescribed to a pregnant woman strictly as directed by a doctor and in those cases where the positive effect of using it significantly exceeds the possible risk to the fetus. In the lactation period, the prescription of Azithromycin is possible, but for the duration of treatment, breastfeeding should be discontinued.

Contraindications

Azithromycin is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug or individual intolerance to antibiotics of the macrolide group. The drug can not be prescribed to patients with acute renal or hepatic insufficiency, chronic diseases of the urinary system.

Antibiotic in tablet form does not apply for treatment of children younger than 12 years. It is not recommended to use the drug during pregnancy and lactation. With extreme caution, Azithromycin is prescribed to patients prone to allergies.

Side effect of

Despite the fact that Azithromycin is considered one of the safest and softest macrolide antibiotics, unwanted reactions can occur when taking the drug. Among the side effects most often occur abnormalities on the part of the gastrointestinal tract. The following manifestations are noted:

• Liquid chair( diarrhea)
• Constipation
• Severe abdominal pain
• Aversion to food, lack of appetite
• Symptoms of dyspepsia( vomiting, flatulence)

In severe cases, colitis, hepatitis, impaired liver function, cholestatic jaundice, hepaticinsufficiency, necrosis of the liver. Reactions from the senses are to change the taste, impaired perception of odors. There is a feeling of dryness in the mouth, noise in the ears.

With uncontrolled admission of high doses of the drug, severe hearing impairment up to deafness is possible. From the side of the central nervous system there is a state of depression, fast fatigue, drowsiness, development of neuroses, migraine, dizziness, sleep disturbance. The mediastinal system can respond to arrhythmia, tachycardia, uncontrolled palpitation. From the side of the circulatory system, unfavorable changes in blood parameters can be observed. Reception of the drug in high doses causes changes in the urinary system, expressed in acute renal failure and the development of jade.

It is possible to develop unwanted allergic reactions, which result in the appearance of itchy skin rashes, hives symptoms, photosensitivity reactions, when the skin becomes too sensitive to sunlight. In difficult cases, the development of toxic necrolysis and anaphylactic shock, accompanied by Quinck's edema.

In some cases, in response to the use of the drug, it is possible to attach a fungal infection( vaginal candidiasis or candidamycosis of the mucosa in the oral cavity).Unprofessional administration of the drug with intramuscular injections can lead to subcutaneous hemorrhage and the development of purulent abscesses. In order to avoid unwanted side reactions, it is necessary to follow the instructions for the use of the drug exactly, to observe the prescribed dosage and not to use the antibiotic for a long time.

Interaction with other drugs

The combination of antibiotic with antacids or the intake of alcohol( ethanol) during treatment negatively affects the absorption of the drug from the digestive tract and significantly reduces its effectiveness. If antacids are present in the complex therapy regimen, a time interval of 2 hours between taking these medications should be observed.

With extreme caution, simultaneous use of the drug Azithromycin and anticoagulants should be approached, as the risk of bleeding increases. When used simultaneously with cyclosporins, the risk of toxic and adverse reactions increases significantly. When combined with rifabutin, changes in blood levels are possible.

Special instructions

In case of accidental admission, the missed dose of the drug should be drunk as early as possible, all subsequent doses should be taken at intervals of 24 hours. In children and adolescents under 16, the drug is not prescribed in the form of capsules or tablets, for this category of patients, Azithromycin is used in the form of a suspension. Antibiotic in suspension is not prescribed for children under 6 months. In patients with hypersensitivity to the drug, even after its withdrawal, unwanted reactions can be protected for several days. This condition requires specific therapy and monitoring of the patient's condition by the doctor.

The majority of reviews on the use of Azithromycin are positive, after the first admission patients notice a significant improvement in their well-being and a decrease in painful symptoms in various pathological conditions caused by the infectious process. Nevertheless, doctors strongly do not recommend self-medication and before getting the drug, get a doctor's advice.

Price

In the pharmacy network, the cost of the drug Azithromycin 250 averages from 60 rubles. The cost of Azithromycin 500 ranges from 75 to 120 rubles . Capsules Azithromycin 3 are sold at a price of 110 rubles. Powder for the preparation of a suspension costs an average of 180 rubles.

Feedback on application

Review No. 1

This summer I went fishing with my friends and caught a bad cold. There was a painful dry cough, weakness, and fever. The doctor in the clinic determined the bronchitis, prescribed an antibiotic Azithromycin and the means for fighting the cough. I took it only 3 days, on the first day 2 tablets, in the next - one.

Very strong drug, already on the second day felt much better, the cough was not so dry, the expectoration went off and after a short time all the symptoms of the disease disappeared. And my friend says that with the help of Azithromycin he cured a severe acne.

I took the drug for some special scheme, appointed by a doctor and a month later the face became clean. Before that, for several years I had been treated with all sorts of expensive aids for acne, but there was no result.

Cyril, St. Petersburg

Review No. 2

My son is often sick, this time he ate the ice cream in the heat and picked up the sore throat. The disease was severe, with a strong fever, red, sore throat, the baby refused to eat and was constantly capricious.

Tablets, he could not swallow, the doctor prescribed Azithromycin in suspension. Take this drug is very convenient, the powder is diluted with water according to the instructions, a suspension is obtained, quite pleasant to the taste. In the package with a special measuring spoon, which you measure the necessary dose.

Before that, we had already been treated with antibiotics, we could hardly stand the course in 7-10 days, the medication was accompanied by nausea, upset of the chair, abdominal pain. In this respect, Azithromycin has a huge advantage, it is taken only once a day and the duration of treatment is very short - 3 days.

The first time the suspension was taken after dinner, and by the evening the son was much better, the temperature was asleep, he forgot about the sore throat and quietly played in his room. There were no side effects from the digestive system.

Anastasia, Moscow

Review No. 3

I was prescribed Azithromycin for pharyngitis. The throat was very sore, it turned red, it was hard to swallow. The only plus of the drug is an inexpensive price.

Antibiotic tablets are quite large, and they must be taken in full by instruction. I tried to swallow, but the sore throat was not allowed, I had to crush the pill into powder and take it. The antibiotic is strong, it can help someone, but after receiving a headache, pressure jumped, a strong palpitation arose.

Therefore, I did not take the second dose. This drug has many side effects, as well as any other antibiotic, it negatively affects the stomach and liver. So I continued the treatment with folk methods, with frequent throat rinses of medicinal plants decoctions, an abundant hot drink and gradually the disease receded.

Marina, Yekaterinburg