The macrolide antibiotic drug azithromycin (Zithromax) has a half life of 68 hours. What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with this long half life?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: This extended therapeutic effect is good because it allows the patient to take azithromycin just once a day for five days, while most other antibiotic drugs have a shorter half-life and must be taken two or three times a day for seven days or more. Also, the patient is less likely to forget to take a dose, which is important when taking an antibiotic drug. However, if the patient has an allergic reaction to azithromycin, that reaction will last longer and can be severe because the drug stays in the blood so long.

Health & Biomechanics

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