Side Effects of Zithromax: An Introduction
As with any medicine, side effects can occur with
Zithromax® (
azithromycin). Yet, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it well. If people do develop Zithromax side effects, in most cases, they are minor, meaning they require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. In previous research studies, up to 1 percent of adults or children stopped taking Zithromax because of side effects.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Zithromax. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of side effects with you.)
Common Zithromax Side Effects
Zithromax has been studied extensively in clinical trials, with thousands of people worldwide having been evaluated. In these studies, side effects are always documented and compared to those that occur in a similar group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
Based on these studies, the most common Zithromax side effects include:
- Nausea -- in up to 5 percent of people
- Loose stools or diarrhea -- up to 7 percent
- Vomiting -- up to 7 percent
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain) -- up to 3 percent
- Headache -- up to 1 percent
- Unexplained rash -- up to 2 percent.
The likelihood of these side effects varied, based on the
Zithromax dosage and how it was taken.
