Erythromycin

Erythromycin is used for:

Treating infections caused by certain bacteria. It is also used to prevent bacterial endocarditis and attacks of rheumatic fever. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic. It works by slowing the growth of, or sometimes killing, sensitive bacteria by reducing the production of important proteins needed by the bacteria to survive.

Do NOT use Erythromycin if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Erythromycin
• you are taking astemizole, cisapride, cyclosporine, diltiazem, dofetilide, an ergot alkaloid (eg, ergotamine), an HIV protease inhibitor (eg, ritonavir), an imidazole (eg, ketoconazole), pimozide, a QT-prolonging agent (eg, quinidine, sotalol), a quinolone (eg, ciprofloxacin), a streptogramin (eg, quinupristin/dalfopristin), sumatriptan, terfenadine, or verapamil

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Erythromycin :

Some medical conditions may interact with Erythromycin . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have diarrhea or a stomach or intestinal infection
• if you have a history of kidney or liver disease, heart problems, fast or irregular heartbeat, myasthenia gravis, or the blood disease porphyria

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Erythromycin . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Efavirenz or rifampin because they may decrease Erythromycin 's effectiveness
• Arsenic, cimetidine, diltiazem, dofetilide, HIV protease inhibitors (eg, ritonavir), imidazoles (eg, ketoconazole), pimozide,QT-prolonging agents (eg, quinidine, sotalol), quinolones (eg, ciprofloxacin), streptogramins (eg, quinupristin/dalfopristin ), or verapamil because side effects, such as heart toxicity or irregular heartbeat, may occur
• Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), aldosterone blockers (eg, spironolactone), alfentanil, arsenic, astemizole, benzodiazepines (eg, alprazolam), bromocriptine, buspirone, carbamazepine, cilostazol, cisapride, clozapine, corticosteroids (eg, hydrocortisone), cyclosporine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ergot alkaloids (eg, ergotamine), felodipine, H₁ antagonists (eg, diphenhydramine), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (eg, lovastatin), imatinib, macrolide immunosuppressants (eg, tacrolimus), meglitinide antidiabetics (eg, repaglinide), midazolam, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (eg, sildenafil), pimozide, QT-prolonging agents (eg, quinidine, sotalol), quinolones (eg, ciprofloxacin), rifampin, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (eg, fluoxetine), sumatriptan, theophyllines, tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline), valproic acid, or vinca alkaloids (eg, vincristine) because the risk of their side ef fects may increased by Erythromycin

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Erythromycin may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.