Which macrolide is best tolerated?

Prepare for the Antibacterials (ABX) Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your test!

Multiple Choice

Which macrolide is best tolerated?

Explanation:
Tolerability among macrolides mainly comes down to gastrointestinal side effects and drug interaction potential. Erythromycin often causes marked GI upset (nausea, cramps) because it stimulates gut motility, and it inhibits CYP3A4, leading to many drug interactions. Clarithromycin also has GI effects and notable CYP3A4 interactions, contributing to less tolerability. Telithromycin carries safety concerns such as hepatotoxicity and QT prolongation, which further reduce its tolerability. Azithromycin, on the other hand, tends to cause fewer GI problems, has minimal clinically significant CYP450 interactions, and its long half-life allows convenient once-daily dosing. These factors together explain why azithromycin is generally the best tolerated macrolide.

Tolerability among macrolides mainly comes down to gastrointestinal side effects and drug interaction potential. Erythromycin often causes marked GI upset (nausea, cramps) because it stimulates gut motility, and it inhibits CYP3A4, leading to many drug interactions. Clarithromycin also has GI effects and notable CYP3A4 interactions, contributing to less tolerability. Telithromycin carries safety concerns such as hepatotoxicity and QT prolongation, which further reduce its tolerability. Azithromycin, on the other hand, tends to cause fewer GI problems, has minimal clinically significant CYP450 interactions, and its long half-life allows convenient once-daily dosing. These factors together explain why azithromycin is generally the best tolerated macrolide.

More practice questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy