Product News and Recalls

FDA says azithromycin increases risk of heart death

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notified healthcare professionals of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found patients taking a widely used antibiotic are at higher risk for potentially deadly heart problems.

The study concerns Zithromax, the brand name for azithromycin, which is commonly prescribed for pneumonia and other common infections. The FDA announcement emphasizes that patients taking the drug shouldn’t stop without talking to their doctors.

According to the FDA announcement, azithromycin belongs to a class of antibacterial drugs called macrolides, which have been associated with a change in the heart’s electrical cycle. In March, the FDA changed the warning label on the drug to reflect a low risk for that side effect.

The FDA is requesting that healthcare professionals and patients report adverse events or side effects from the drug to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. Forms are available at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm, or 1-800-332-1088.

If you or a loved one suffered a heart injury while on Zithromax, then you should consider consulting with an attorney who handles pharmaceutical cases.

See the FDA announcement here: https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm304503.htm