What are the side effects and risks of Azithromycin tablets?
Generally, the side effects and risks of Azithromycin Tablets include gastrointestinal discomfort, liver damage, allergic reactions, ototoxicity, development of drug resistance, etc., and it is recommended to use the medication as directed by a physician. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Gastrointestinal Discomfort
Azithromycin Tablets may affect normal gastrointestinal motility and secretion of digestive fluids, interfere with normal gastrointestinal physiological functions, and potentially alter the balance of intestinal flora, thereby causing gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
2. Liver Damage
As the drug is mainly metabolized in the liver, it may exert certain toxic effects on liver cells, affecting the liver's normal metabolic and detoxification functions, thus leading to liver damage, such as elevated liver enzymes and jaundice.
3. Allergic Reaction
Due to the human immune system identifying Azithromycin Tablets as a foreign antigen, an immune response is triggered, releasing inflammatory mediators such as histamine, leading to allergic symptoms on the skin and systemically. Symptoms include rash, itching, erythema, and in severe cases, anaphylactic shock may occur.
4. Ototoxicity
Azithromycin Tablets may accumulate in the ear, damaging the inner ear hair cells or auditory nerve, affecting sound transmission and perception, thereby causing tinnitus, hearing loss, and other ototoxic symptoms.
5. Development of Drug Resistance
Long-term or inappropriate use of Azithromycin Tablets can easily lead to drug resistance in bacteria, causing previously azithromycin-sensitive bacteria to no longer be inhibited or killed by it, increasing the difficulty of subsequent treatments, making infections hard to control, and possibly causing the condition to recur or worsen.
When taking Azithromycin Tablets, it is essential to strictly follow medical instructions, using the prescribed dosage and course of treatment without adjusting the dose or prolonging the medication duration on your own.