Macrolides are a class of antibiotics that are often used to treat infections in people who are allergic to penicillins.
Macrolides include the following:
Macrolides work by preventing bacteria from producing proteins they need to grow and multiply.
absorbed into the bloodstream when taken orally. It is used to treat Clostridioides difficile–induced colitis but does not do much harm to the other bacteria that normally live in healthy intestines.
Macrolides interact with many other drugs (called a drug-drug interaction). Often, the interaction increases the effects, including the side effects, of the other drugs. When given with certain other drugs, macrolides can increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in people who have long QT syndrome.
Macrolides
Drug | Common Uses | Some Potential Side Effects |
|---|---|---|
Respiratory infections Chlamydial infections of the reproductive organs and urinary tract Used only for Clostridioides difficile | Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (especially at higher doses) Jaundice* Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)* | |
(See also Overview of Antibiotics.)
Use of Macrolides During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Macrolides should be taken during pregnancy only when the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks.
