Product Details

Product Information of Eryfast 500

What you need to know before you take Eryfast 500 tablets

Do not take Eryfast 500 Tablets: • if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to Eryfast 500 or other macrolide antibiotics such as clarithromycin or azithromycin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6) • .if you are currently taking a medicine called – are taking ergotamine or dihydroergotamine (used to treat migraines) while taking Eryfast 500 as this may cause serious side effects; – are taking terfenadine or astemizole or mizolastine (widely taken for hayfever and allergies), domperidone (for nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick), cisapride (for stomach disorders) or pimozide or amisulpride (for psychiatric conditions) while receiving Eryfast 500, as combining these drugs can sometimes cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm. Consult your doctor for advice on alternative medicines you can take instead. – you have abnormally low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood (hypomagnesaemia or hypokalaemia). – you or someone in your family has a history of heart rhythm disorders (ventricular cardiac arrhythmia or torsades de pointes) or an abnormality of the electrocardiogram (electrical recording of the heart) called “long QT syndrome”. – simvastatin (used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides (types of fat) in the blood); – tolterodine (used for treating overactive bladder with symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency, and leakage); • are taking colchicine (used for treatment of gout and arthritis) whilst taking Eryfast 500 as this may cause serious side effects; • have any liver problems or have been told that any drugs you are taking can cause liver problems; • have previously experienced diarrhoea following the use of antibiotics; • are pregnant and have been told that you have a sexually transmitted disease called syphilis. In this case Eryfast 500 may not be effective for preventing the transfer of this infection to your baby. Consult your doctor before receiving Eryfast 500. Alternatively if you were treated for early stages of syphilis during your pregnancy, and your child is under 1 year and is prescribed Eryfast 500, consult your doctor before giving Eryfast 500 to your child; • are treating a young child with antibiotics and they are irritable or vomit when fed, you should contact your physician immediately; • suffer from a condition called myasthenia gravis, which causes muscle weakness; consult your doctor before receiving Eryfast 500; • are taking Eryfast 500 with ‘statins’ such as simvastatin or lovastatin (used to lower cholesterol) as serious side effects can occur; If any of these apply to you, or if you are not sure, tell your doctor. Other medicines and Eryfast 500 Tablets • Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine (used to treat conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, or to treat or prevent malaria). Taking these medicines at the same time as Eryfast 500 may increase the chance of you getting side effects that affect your heart. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This is especially important if you are taking medicines from the following families: • astemizole, terfenadine or mizolastine (used to treat allergies such as hayfever); • domperidone (used to treat nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick)); • pimozide (used to treat mental problems); • ergotamine or dihydroergotamine (used to relieve migraine); • cisapride (used to treat stomach disorders); • statins (used to help lower cholesterol levels e.g. lovastatin and simvastatin); • protease inhibitors (used to treat viral infections e.g. saquinavir); • Oral contraceptives; This is also important if you are taking medicines called: • colchicine (used to treat gout and arthritis); • cimetidine and omeprazole (used to treat acid reflux and other related conditions); • clarithromycin, rifabutin, or rifampicin (medicines used to treat different types of bacterial infection); • fluconazole, ketoconazole and itraconazole (medicines used to treat fungal infections); • digoxin, quinidine or disopyramide (used to treat heart problems); • cilostazol (a medicine used to treat peripheral circulation problems); • hexobarbitone, phenobarbital or midazolam (used as sedatives); • Anticoagulants e.g. warfarin, acenocoumarol and rivaroxaban (used to help thin the blood); • valproate, carbamazepine or phenytoin (used to control epilepsy); • theophylline (used to treat asthma and other breathing problems); • ciclosporin or tacrolimus (used following organ transplants); • bromocriptine (used to treat Parkinson’s disease); • zopiclone or triazolam/alprazolam (used to help you sleep or relieve states of anxiety); • alfentanil (a medicine used to provide pain relief); • methylprednisolone (used to help suppress the body’s immune system — this is useful in treating a wide range of conditions); • St John’s Wort (a herbal medicine used to treat depression); • verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain); • vinblastine (used to treat certain types of cancer); • Sildenafil (used to treat erectile dysfunction). If you or your child goes for any medical test, tell your doctor that you are taking Eryfast 500 as this may interfere with some test results. Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Eryfast 500 Tablets if • you are taking other medicines which are known to cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm. • you have heart problems. Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility Eryfast 500 should be used by women during pregnancy only if clearly needed. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Sodium This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodiumfree’.