Zithromax, Z-Pak and Zmax Come with Serious Risks, FDA Says
By Courtney Coren
There are few things more comforting when diagnosed with bronchitis, pneumonia or another serious infection than a good antibiotic that will kill the infection in a matter of days. One favorite antibiotic is Zithromax (azithromycin), also known as Z-Pak. Patients especially love Zithromax because they only have to take it for five days to kill their infection; while most traditional antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin can be prescribed for 10 or more days. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that Zithromax is prescribed 50 million times every year.
The problem with Zithromax is not its effectiveness as an antibiotic, but that there are very serious and potentially deadly side effects of Zithromax and Z-Pak that every patient should be aware of before they take it.
Last month the U.S. Food & Drug Administration reported that there will be a new warning label added to Zithromax due to reports and studies that link the antibiotic to deadly heart arrhythmias.
“Doctors should consider prescribing other antibiotics to patients at risk of heart problems, including those with irregular heartbeats or low levels of potassium or magnesium in their blood,” according to the FDA warning.
A study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2012 that compared cardiovascular risks in patients taking Zithromax to other antibiotics. Zithromax was shown to have a higher number of deaths due to irregular heart rhythms. One in four thousand patients are at risk of death due to heart arrhythmia as a result of the drug.
Those most at risk to this dangerous side effect are those who already have heart rhythm problems, low levels of potassium or magnesium, a slower than normal heart rate or patients that are on certain medications to treat abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias.
According to the study, there is a 250-percent higher chance of dying from a cardiovascular event within the first five days of taking Zithromax compared with those who took amoxicillin.
Other Zithromax side effects include skin rashes, itching, diarrhea, and severe allergic reactions.
Pfizer, Inc. has released another antibiotic that is an azithromycin extended release medication called Zmax. This medication has been found to cause a severe allergic reaction in some users called Steven Johnson Syndrome — a very severe skin reaction in which 30 percent of the person’s epidermal layer can separate from the body. In some, it can be fatal, especially if the organs are affected.
The FDA sent a letter to Pfizer on June 19, 2012 saying that the severity of Stevens Johnson Syndrome was not made clear on the Zmax brochure.
Doctors and their patients will have to decide if these fast acting antibiotics are worth the risk.
If you or someone you know has suffered an irregular heart rhythm or Stevens Johnson Syndrome after taking Zithromax, Z-Pak, Zmax or azithromycin, legal options are available to you. Learn more and get a free legal consultation regarding a claim’s eligibility at the Zithromax Z-Pak Azithromycin Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation. Experienced legal professionals have access to medical experts to assess whether or not this antibiotic played a role in your irregular heart rhythm or other serious side effect, so act now.
Updated April 8th, 2013
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One thought on Zithromax, Z-Pak and Zmax Come with Serious Risks, FDA Says
How do I file for this claim??:)