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Azithromycin

Azithromycin is used to treat bacterial infections, including respiratory tract infections. It belongs to a class of medications called macrolide antibiotics and works by stopping the growth of bacteria. Azee DT and Azee both supply azithromycin alone, though at different tablet strengths.

Azee Dt

Respiratory Tract Infections, Bacterial Sinusitis

100mg

Formulated to alleviate upper respiratory symptoms to support pulmonary health and target microbial activity.

From$1.88/ tabletView

Azee

Bacterial Infections

250mg · 500mg · 1000mg

Indicated to address localised bacterial pathogens to manage urogenital tissue infections and alleviate pelvic discomfort.

From$2.08/ tabletView

Key points

  • MedlinePlus notes that antibiotics such as azithromycin will not work for colds, flu or other viral infections.
  • Azithromycin’s DailyMed label states that it binds to the 23S rRNA of the bacterial ribosome’s 50S subunit, blocking protein synthesis in susceptible bacteria.

Long tissue persistence and its stated risks

After a single 500 mg dose, azithromycin has a terminal elimination half-life of about 68 hours, a duration the label attributes to extensive uptake and slow release from body tissues. The label’s adverse reaction data record diarrhoea in 5 to 14% of patients and nausea in 3 to 18%, alongside abdominal pain and vomiting.

Azithromycin’s label warns that QT interval prolongation and cases of torsades de pointes, a heart rhythm disturbance that can be fatal, have been reported, and asks prescribers to weigh this risk in people with certain cardiovascular conditions. It also warns that Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhoea has been reported, as with nearly all antibacterial agents, and can range from mild diarrhoea to fatal colitis.

Azithromycin is also known regionally as Azomycin, a UAE-manufactured brand named in the Emirates Drug Establishment product directory.

Further reading

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