Clarithromycin is an antibiotic. It is used to treat bacterial infections of the sinuses, throat, lungs, ears, skin and tissue.
This medicine is also used together with other medicines to treat stomach ulcer caused by a type of bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori.
Clarithromycin may be used to treat other conditions as decided by your doctor.
Take Clarithromycin exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you should take this medicine with or without food. Different preparations of this medicine may be taken differently. Try to take it at the same time each day.
Clarithromycin is available as a conventional tablet, extended-release tablet, or oral suspension.
If you are taking the extended-release type of tablet (usually labelled as "XL" or "MR"), swallow it whole. Do not divide, chew or crush the tablet.
If you are taking an oral suspension, tap or invert the bottle to loosen the dry powder and add the specified volume of water to reconstitute the suspension. Shake the bottle well before you take it to ensure that the liquid is evenly mixed. Use the measuring device (e.g. spoon, oral syringe) provided to measure your dose.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the treatment timeframe depending on the type and severity of your infection.
Take Clarithromycin at regular intervals. Do not skip any doses. You must complete the entire course of this medicine. If you don't, the infection will not be properly controlled.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Do not take Clarithromycin if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to this medicine or similar medicines such as azithromycin or erythromycin.
Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- history of liver disease associated with previous use of this medicine
- low potassium level in the blood
- low magnesium level in the blood
- heart rhythm disorder e.g. irregular or abnormal heartbeat
- severe liver disease and at the same time with kidney disease
as Clarithromycin may not be suitable for you.
Do not take Clarithromycin with medicines used for mood disorder, migraine, cold or allergy, anxiety, stomach problems, gout (high uric acid level in the blood), chest pain, and certain blood-thinning medicines or cholesterol-lowering medicines. Please see the section "Can I take this with other medicines?" below for more information.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- heart disease or problems e.g. narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart, slow heartbeat
- myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness disorder)
- liver disease
- moderate to severe kidney disease
Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving Clarithromycin to a child or the elderly. Children and elderly people may be more sensitive to the side effects.
You may see a small tablet-shaped casing in your bowel. This is normal, do not be alarmed. This casing is just an empty shell; the medicine inside it has already been absorbed by your body.
Routine tests (e.g. liver or kidney function, ECG [test used to record the electrical activity of the heart]) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
Clarithromycin may cause any of the following side effects: headache, nausea, changes in taste, vomiting, stomach pain, indigestion, difficulty sleeping, and excessive sweating.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- rashes, breathlessness, swollen mouth or eyes
- yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark coloured urine, tiredness, swelling in the legs and ankles
- severe diarrhoea or diarrhoea with severe stomach cramps or very loose, watery or bloody stools
- muscle weakness or pain
- abnormal or fast heartbeat, passing out, chest pain or pressure
- rashes with peeling of the skin or blistering of the lips, mouth or eyes accompanied by fever
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Do not take Clarithromycin with the following medicines:
- medicines for migraine e.g. ergotamine, dihydroergotamine
- certain cholesterol-lowering medicines e.g. lovastatin, simvastatin, lomitapide
- medicines for cold or allergy e.g. astemizole, terfenadine
- medicines for stomach problems e.g. cisapride, domperidone
- certain medicines for mood disorders e.g. pimozide, lurasidone
- colchicine (medicine for gout or high uric acid level in the blood)
- midazolam (medicine for anxiety)
- ticagrelor (blood-thinning medicine)
- ranolazine (medicine for chest pain)
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any of these medicines:
- medicines for irregular heartbeat e.g. digoxin, quinidine, disopyramide
- medicines for diabetes e.g. glimepiride, repaglinide, nateglinide, insulin
- medicines for epilepsy (fits or seizures) e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital
- medicines to treat fungal infections e.g. fluconazole, itraconazole
- medicines for HIV infection e.g. ritonavir, atazanavir, etravirine, zidovudine, saquinavir
- medicines used in organ transplants or certain immune disorders e.g. ciclosporin, sirolimus, tacrolimus
- medicines used to treat impotence e.g. sildenafil, tadalafil
- certain medicines for high blood pressure e.g. amlodipine, verapamil, diltiazem
- warfarin (blood-thinning medicine)
- rifampicin (medicine for TB [lung infection known as tuberculosis])
- alprazolam (medicine for anxiety)
- theophylline (asthma medicine)
- tolterodine (medicine used to treat overactive bladder)
- vinblastine (medicine for cancer)
- St. John's wort (herbal medicine)
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Clarithromycin.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Keep the tablets in their original package to protect them from light.
Once you have mixed the powder with water, the oral suspension can be stored at room temperature of up to 30°C. Do not refrigerate. The oral solution should be used within 14 days after opening.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
Sign Out
