Biaxin

Biaxin is an antibiotic medication commonly prescribed to treat strep throat, sinus infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, skin infections, ear infections, as well as other bacterial infections. Biaxin belongs to a group of drugs called macrolide antibiotics which work by inhibiting protein synthesis, stopping bacterial growth and reproduction.

This medication comes in tablet and suspension forms to be taken by mouth. Biaxin is usually taken twice daily, with or without food.

Common side effects of Biaxin include nausea and diarrhea.

Biaxin is a prescription antibiotic medication used to treat the following:

Adults:

• strep throat
• tonsillitis
• sinus infections
• bronchitis
• pneumonia
• skin infections
• Mycobacterial infections due to Mycobacterium avium, or Mycobacterium intracellulare
• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in people with duodenal ulcers (intestinal ulcers), when used in combination with other medications 

Children:

• strep throat
• tonsillitis
• sinus infections
• pneumonia
• ear infections
• Mycobacterial infections due to Mycobacterium avium, or Mycobacterium intracellulare

  Biaxin extended-release tablets are approved to treat the following infections in adults:

• Sinus infections
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your age
• your gender

The recommended dose range of clarithromycin for the treatment of:

• Bronchitis: 250 to 500 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 7 to 14 days
• Community acquired pneumonia: 250 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 7 to 14 days or 1,000 mg by mouth once daily for 7 days (dosing depends on the bacteria causing the pneumonia) 
• H. pylori eradication: 500 mg by mouth twice daily for 10 to 14 days. For treatment of H. pylori, clarithromycin will often be combined with other medications. 
• Mycobacterial infection: 500 mg by mouth twice daily
• Pharyngitis or tonsillitis: 250 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 10 days
• Sinusitis: 500 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 14 days
• Uncomplicated skin and skin structure infection: 250 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 7 to 14 days

Serious side effects can occur with Biaxin use. While these side effects do not commonly occur, they are potentially dangerous and should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider.

Biaxin may cause a serious condition known as QT prolongation, causing a change in the heart rhythm. The risk of QT prolongation may be increased if you have certain medical conditions or are taking other drugs that may affect the heart rhythm. Before receiving clarithromycin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have heart problems such as QT prolongation, heart failure, or slow heartbeat.

Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may also increase your risk of QT prolongation. This risk may increase if you use diuretics ("water pills"). Severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting can also increase your risk of QT prolongation. 

Biaxin should be avoided for people receiving certain heart medications. Talk to your doctor if you have coronary artery disease, receive medications for irregular heart rate, or if you have any other heart condition.

Biaxin, like other antibiotics, can cause Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea. When certain bacteria grow too rapidly in the colon, this serious condition can occur. Tell your doctor if you experience bloody, watery diarrhea.

This medication can cause allergic reactions, which may be severe. Signs of allergic reaction include:

• rash
• hives
• itching
• swelling
• difficulty breathing

Do not take Biaxin if you are allergic to Biaxin or any of its ingredients. 

Some Biaxin side effects can be serious. See "Drug Precautions" section.

Most side effects are mild. During clinical trials, the most frequently reported side effects of Biaxin in adults included:

• diarrhea
• nausea
• abnormal taste
• indigestion
• stomach pain or discomfort
• headache (2%)

In children, the most frequently reported side effects were:

• diarrhea
• vomiting 
• stomach pain 
• rash
• headache 

This is not a complete list of Biaxin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• medications that use the p-glycoprotein transporter such as digoxin (Lanoxin), loperamide (Imodium), quinidine (Cardioquine, Quinact, Duraquin), vinblastine (Velban), fexofenadine (Allegra), indinavir (Crixivan), colchicine (Colcrys), topotecan (Hycamtin), and paclitaxel (Abraxane, Onxol, Taxol)
• medications that use the enzyme CYP3A4 such as budesonide (Entocort), cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune), darifenacin (Enablex), dihydroergotamine (Migranal), fentanyl (Abstral, Fentora, Onsolis, Actiq), pimozide (Orap), quinidine (Cardioquin, Duraquin, Quinact), sirolimus (Rapamune), tacrolimus (Prograf), terfenadine (Seldane), fluticasone (Flovent HFA, Flonase), eletriptan (Relpax), lovastatin (Mevacor), quetiapine (Seroquel), sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio), and simvastatin (Zocor)
• drugs that can cause an arrhythmia called Torsades des Point such as:
  • certain anti-arrhythmia medications including procainamide, sotalol (Betapace), quinidine, dofetilide (Tikosyn), amiodarone (Nexterone, Pacerone, Cordarone), ibutilide (Corvert)
  • certain fluoroquinolone antibiotics including: levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gatifloxacin (Zymar), moxifloxacin (Avelox)
  • certain azole antifungals including: ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox, Onmel)
  • certain antidepressants including: amitriptyline, desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Silenor), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax), sertraline (Zoloft), venlafaxine (Effexor XR)
  • certain antipsychotics including: haloperidol (Haldol), droperidol (Inapsine), quetiapine (Seroquel XR), thioridazine, ziprasidone (Geodon)
  • other medications including: cisapride, sumatriptan (Treximet, Imitrex, Alsuma, Zecuity), zolmitriptan (Zomig, arsenic trioxide (Trisenox), dolasetron (Anzemet), and methadone (Methadone, Dolophine)

This is not a complete list of Biaxin drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Biaxin falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Biaxin has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Biaxin, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.