Delirium in the elderly resulting from azithromycin therapy.

Surg Neurol

Department of Medicine, Eisenhower Medical Center, Rancho Mirage, California, USA.

Published: June 2003

Background: Azithromycin, a semi-synthetic azalide antibiotic, is a macrolide that thus far has not shared the neuropsychiatric side effects of other macrolides such as erythromycin and clarithromycin.

Methods: We now report significant delirium associated with conventional dosing of azithromycin in two geriatric patients who were being treated for lower respiratory tract infection.

Results: The onset of delirium was apparent within 72 hours of initiating azithromycin therapy and lasted 48 to 72 hours after discontinuing treatment with the drug.

Conclusions: In contrast to the adverse central nervous system symptoms associated with clarithromycin, those induced by azithromycin seem to take longer to resolve, perhaps based upon the longer elimination half-life of the latter antimicrobial, particularly in geriatric women.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0090-3019(03)00065-xDOI Listing

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