Zithromax

Manufactured by Pfizer, Zithromax is a popularly used drug to beat away the sick blues. This prescribed antibiotic drug is used to take care of various common infections as well as sexually transmitted diseases. It belongs to a group of antibiotics called macrolides and it is designed to fight bacteria in the body. Since it is a bacteria fighting antibiotic, Zithromax is prescribed commonly for both children & adults. In children specifically, it is used to treat middle ear infections, pneumonia and strep throat.

In fact, it is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for treating bacterial infections in the United States of America. The generic name of the drug is azithromycin and apart from Zithromax, some of the other brand names include Zithromax Z-Pak, 3 Day Dose Pack, 5 Day Dose Pack and many more.

Zithromax benefits:

• It is a licensed drug to treat bacterial infections
• Used and trusted by millions of households
• Also prescribed to treat acne
• Known to provide quick relief

What Zithromax is used for:

The reason for the popularity of this antibiotic is that it has been approved to be used to treat the same infections in children & adults. Generally, this drug is prescribed to treat sexually transmitted diseases as well as bacterial infections. Some of the bacterial infections that can be treated by Zithromax are listed below:

• Respiratory infections like bronchitis for example
• Ear and sinus infections
• Throat infections
• Pneumonia
• Skin infections
• Pelvic Inflammatory disease

Zithromax is also commonly used to treat the following sexually transmitted diseases:

• Gonorrhea
• Chancroid
• Chlamydia

In addition to these conventional uses, this drug also has certain 'off-label' uses which include:

• Treatment of acne
• Prevention of heart infections
• Treating whooping cough
• Treatment of an infection called MAC amongst people with HIV
• Treatment of cat scratch disease

Therefore, it is possible to order Zithromax for a wide variety of uses. It can also be used to take care of a number of other, slightly more uncommon infections. However, it should be noted that this drug is only effective against bacterial infections and will not work against viral infections. Hence, it proves to be ineffective against any infection caused by a virus, such as the common cold or the stomach flu.

How Zithromax works:

As a bacteria killing drug, what Zithromax does is that is reduces the ability of the bacteria in your body to make protein as well affects the peptide activity. This is turn reduces the bacteria's ability to live in the body, thus causing the infection to disappear. On a finer note however, this drug is an anti-biotic and hence does not distinguish between good bacteria and bad bacteria (which cause the infection). It tries to eliminate all bacteria in the body which isn't exactly the best for your health. This is the reason why taking antibiotics on a regular basis is discouraged.

Zithromax side effects:

Like every other drug available in the market, Zithromax too has its weaknesses. It is advisable that you discontinue your dosage and seek medical help in case you notice any of the serious side effects mentioned below:

• Watery or bloody diarrhea
• Uneven hear beats and chest pain
• Loss of appetite and stomach pain
• Low fever
• Dark colored urine or clay colored stools
• Yellowish eyes or skin i.e. signs of jaundice
• Severe skin reactions such as swelling of your face or tongue, skin pain followed by red or purple rashes on the skin that spreads especially to the upper body or the face and causes pain and blistering, or sore throat and fever

In addition, there are also a few minor side effects which have been noticed amongst users of this medication. These are:

• Mild nausea , constipation
• Dizziness, headaches
• Insomnia and feelings of nervousness
• Vaginal itching or discharge
• Decreased sense of taste or smell
• Problems with hearing

Although the list of side-effects seems daunting, you need to know that most people tolerate the medicine well and do not suffer from any of the above mentioned side-effects.

Zithromax precautions:

There are a number of precautions that need to be taken before popping this pill. Firstly, you need to inform your doctor if you have the following problems:

• Liver disease or liver failure
• Kidney disease
• Heart problems
• Have any allergies to medications
• Will be having any surgery

Secondly, although this drug is not known to harm a pregnant mother or an unborn baby, it is essential that you tell your doctor if you are pregnant or want to conceive during the course of the medication. Plus, it is known that Zithromax passes through breast milk to harm a nursing infant. Therefore, in order to be safe, it is advisable that you tell your doctor that you are breast feeding a baby.

Thirdly, you also need to inform your doctor if you are taking any other prescription or non-prescription drugs including vitamins and birth control pills because Zithromax might react to these medications.

Further, this drug is known to increase the chance of developing oral and vaginal yeast infections. Therefore, it is advisable that you discontinue the drug and speak to your healthcare provider as soon as you notice the symptoms.

Lastly, never take outdated medicines as they can cause serious problems as the intended effects of the drug often change after the expiry date.

How to take Zithromax:

It is advisable that you take the drug exactly as it has been prescribed to you because the dose and the duration of the treatment isn't the same for every infection. Therefore, please do not take it in larger or smaller amounts. Moreover, you need to take the drug for the full prescribed length of time because your symptoms may improve before your infection is fully cleared. Thus, in order to avoid a relapse, you need to make sure that you complete your dosage on time.