FDA issues Safety Alert for clarithromycin

Editor's Note

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 22 issued a Safety Alert for clarithromycin (Biaxin) because of the potential increased risk of heart problems or death associated with this antibiotic in patients with heart disease.

A large clinical trial with 10-year follow-up found an unexpected increase in deaths among coronary heart disease patients 1 year or longer after receiving a 2-week course of clarithromycin.

As a result, the FDA is advising prescribers to consider using other antibiotics in such patients and has added the study results to the drug label.

Posted 02/22/2018] AUDIENCE: Health Professional, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Patient ISSUE: FDA is advising caution before prescribing the antibiotic clarithromycin (Biaxin) to patients with heart disease because of a potential increased risk of heart problems or death that can occur years later.

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