telithromycin – oral, Ketek
WARNING: Telithromycin should not be used in patients with myasthenia gravis. It may worsen the condition. Severe breathing problems have been reported in patients with myasthenia gravis who took telithromycin.
USES: This medication is a ketolide antibiotic used to treat pneumonia caused by bacteria. It does not work for viral infections (e.g., common cold, flu). Avoid unnecessary use or overuse of any antibiotic, as it can decrease its effectiveness.
HOW TO USE: Read the Medication Guide and, if available, the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before starting telithromycin. Take this medication by mouth once daily with or without food or as directed by your doctor. Antibiotics work best when the amount of medicine in your body is kept constant. Therefore, take this drug at evenly spaced intervals. Continue taking this medication until the full prescribed amount is finished, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping this medication too early may result in a return of the infection. Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.
SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, headache, anxiety, or a strange taste in the mouth may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not experience serious side effects. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience vision changes or unlikely but serious side effects such as blurred/double vision, difficulty focusing. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience rare but serious side effects such as dizziness, fainting, irregular/fast heartbeat, or worsening muscle weakness. Telithromycin may rarely cause severe liver disease. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop extreme tiredness, loss of appetite, stomach/abdominal pain, dark urine, or yellowing of eyes/skin. This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea), which may occur weeks to months after treatment has stopped. Do not use anti-diarrhea products or narcotic pain medications if you have persistent diarrhea, abdominal/stomach pain/cramping, or blood/mucus in your stool. Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge, or other new symptoms. Allergic reactions to this drug are rare but can be very serious. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice rash, itching/swelling, severe dizziness, or trouble breathing.
PRECAUTIONS: Before taking telithromycin, inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it, macrolide antibiotics, or have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients that can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have myasthenia gravis, previous liver problems while taking telithromycin or a macrolide antibiotic, or a previous allergic reaction to telithromycin or a macrolide antibiotic. Tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of severe kidney disease, liver problems, or heart rhythm conditions. This medication may cause vision problems, dizziness, or fainting. Do not perform activities that require alertness or clear vision until you are sure you can do so safely. Limit alcoholic beverages. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially heart rhythm conditions.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. Keep a list of all the products you use and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval. Some products that may interact with this drug include certain heart medications, anti-seizure drugs, digoxin, ergot drugs, live bacterial vaccines, metoprolol, rifampin, certain "statin" drugs for high cholesterol, St John’s wort, theophylline, warfarin, and drugs removed from your system by certain liver enzymes. Many drugs besides telithromycin may affect heart rhythm, including amiodarone, cisapride, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, and macrolide antibiotics. Therefore, report all medications you are currently using to your doctor or pharmacist. Although most antibiotics probably do not affect hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring, some antibiotics may decrease their effectiveness. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should use additional reliable birth control methods while using this antibiotic.
OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include irregular/fast heartbeat and fainting.
NOTES: Do not share this medication with others. This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another infection unless instructed to do so by your doctor. Laboratory and/or medical tests should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects.
MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so.
DISPOSAL: Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details on how to safely discard the product.
Information last revised January 2014. Copyright(c) 2014 First Databank, Inc.
