Clarithromycin is an antibiotic medicine.
It's used to treat chest infections such as pneumonia, skin problems such as cellulitis, and ear infections. It's also used to treat Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that can cause stomach ulcers.
Clarithromycin is sometimes used by people who have an allergy to penicillin and antibiotics similar to penicillin, like amoxicillin.
Clarithromycin is from a group of medicines called macrolide antibiotics. Macrolide antibiotics work by stopping the growth of bacteria that cause the infection.
Clarithromycin is only available on prescription.
It comes as tablets or a liquid that you swallow. It can also be given by injection, but this is usually only done in hospital.
Key facts
- You'll usually take clarithromycin twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
- Some people take slow-release clarithromycin tablets. This means that the medicine is gradually released into your body over 24 hours. These are taken once a day.
- For most infections, you should feel better within a few days, but it's important to finish your full course of medicine.
- Common side effects include feeling or being sick, stomach cramps, and diarrhoea.