About Antibiotics

What Are Antibiotics?

Antibiotics are medicines that are used to fight bacterial infections.^1,2 There are many types of antibiotics. They can be taken by mouth. They can be injected. They can be put right on the skin, or in the eyes or ears. Some of these drugs should not be taken with certain food or drinks. Others work best on an empty stomach. Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions when prescribed an antibiotic.

What Are Antibiotics Used For?

Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Most of the time they are used for infections that are already in your body.² Sometimes they are used to prevent an infection in the first place, like before surgery.

What Is Antibiotic Resistance?

Antibiotic resistance can happen when all of the bacteria from your infection are not killed, even if you feel better. If some of them stay alive and are not killed, they can become stronger. They can change themselves so they cannot be killed as easily. This is called resistance.³

When you don't take your medicine as prescribed, this may lead to antibiotic resistance. When medicine is not used the right way, bacteria can change. You need a full course of medicine to kill the bacteria. If you do not complete the treatment, you may have killed only the weakest bacteria. The strongest bacteria may live and thrive. Then, when you really need an antibiotic in the future, the medicine may not work as well for you.

These are some common examples of not completing the treatment^4,5:

Not filling the prescription
Not starting treatment or delaying treatment
Stopping medicine too soon, when the symptoms are gone (but before the medicine is finished)
Sharing medicine with others
Not taking medicine at the right time
Saving leftover medicine for future use

Next: Taking Antibiotics Correctly

Important safety information for adults

Zmax fights bacteria that cause infections. These include sinusitis and pneumonia. Like other antibiotics, Zmax takes time to work.

Do not take Zmax if you have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to azithromycin, erythromycin, or any antibiotic.

Call your doctor right away if you have hives, you have trouble swallowing, your face or throat swells, or you have wheezing or trouble breathing after taking Zmax.

Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics which usually ends when the antibiotic is discontinued. Sometimes, however, patients can develop watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) even as late as two or more months after taking their last dose of the antibiotic. If this occurs, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.

As with other antibiotics like Zmax, worsening of symptoms of myasthenia gravis (a disease causing muscle weakness) may occur.

The most common side effects in adults taking Zmax are diarrhea/loose stools, nausea, and stomach pain. Others include headache and vomiting. For patients who took Zmax and got diarrhea, most symptoms went away by day 2. Call your doctor if you vomit within one hour of taking Zmax.

Important safety information for children

Zmax fights bacteria that cause infections. This includes pneumonia. Like other antibiotics, Zmax takes time to work.

Do not give Zmax to children with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to azithromycin or any antibiotics such as erythromycin or telithromycin.

Call your child's doctor right away if your child has hives, trouble swallowing, swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing, such as wheezing, after taking Zmax.

Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics, usually ending when the antibiotic is discontinued. Sometimes, however, patients can develop watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) even as late as two or more months after taking their last dose of the antibiotic. If this occurs, you should contact your child's doctor as soon as possible.

As with other antibiotics like Zmax, worsening of symptoms of myasthenia gravis (a disease causing muscle weakness) may occur.

The most common side effects in children taking Zmax are vomiting, diarrhea/loose stools, nausea, and stomach pain. Others include rash, and loss of appetite. For children who took Zmax and got diarrhea, most symptoms went away by day 2. Call your child's doctor if your child vomits within one hour of taking Zmax.

Please see full prescribing information for Zmax.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work campaign press kit. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/community/files/complete_ABR_VPK.pdf. Accessed January 24, 2008.
Antibiotics. Available at: http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/medicine/antibiotics.html. Accessed January 17, 2008.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Battle of the bugs: fighting antibiotic resistance. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/402_bugs.html. Accessed January 17, 2008.
Kardas P. Patient compliance with antibiotic treatment for respiratory tract infections [review]. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002;49:897-903.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Antibiotics: Too much of a good thing. February 13, 2006. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotics/FL00075/UPDATEAPP=0. Accessed January 17, 2008.

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