title: The new macrolactones: clarithromycin (Biaxin) and azithromycin (Zithromax).
abstract: Clarithromycin and azithromycin are new macrolactone antibiotics which offer several advantages over erythromycin such as increased bioavailability secondary to better acid stability, excellent tissue and intracellular distribution, extended half-lives allowing for once-daily or twice-daily dosing, lower gastrointestinal intolerance, and greater microbiological activity against selected organisms (eg, H. influenzae). These new agents are significantly more expensive than erythromycin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Services, Hartford Hospital.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltier
mesh_terms: D017963:Azithromycin; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin; D017963:Azithromycin; D017291:Clarithromycin