Erythromycin

Erythromycin is used in the treatment a myriad of bacterial infections or in prevention of various bacterial infections by stopping the growth of these bacteria. The medication is best taken before meal since its absorption is best when the stomach is empty. The length and dosage of this treatment is dependent on the patient’s condition and their response to the treatment and especially in the case of children, it depends on their weight and age.   The drug is produced by Saccharopolyspora erythraea strain and it is classified among the macrolide antibiotics (U.S National Center For medicine, n.d).  It is normally basic and mixes with acids to form salts. It can be administered orally or even as Erythromycin eye ointment which can be placed in a kids eye within the about an hour after birth. It can be inform of tablets that are film coated or even ethylsuccinate suspensions for oral administration. It can diffuse readily and easily into many of common body fluids, while only very low concentrations can be achieved inside the spinal fluid.  Where there is ordinary hepatic function, the medicine is concentrated inside the liver and later excreted in the bile. It works by inhibiting synthesis of protein where it binds the target organism’s ribosomal subunit while not affecting the synthesis of nucleic acid. The medication can be administered to children between birth to 2 years, between 2-8 years, and for children and adults over 8 years of age (U.S National Center For medicine, n.d).  The dosage administered also depends on the extent of infection on the person taking the drug.

Risks and benefits

The medication cam be administered in different forms including capsules, suspension, injection and tablets and can also be used in treatment of various bacterial infections like lungs , nasal , throat , ear , stomachs  and eyelids infection. It also administered to prevent whooping cough against individuals who have been vaccinated against it. .  It can also be used in prevention of bacterial infection after burns, surgery or trauma (Medicines for Children, 2014). Injection of the medicine is done in more serious cases where oral administration is not possible.  In addition, erythromycin is usually safe and is unlikely to lead to serious problems if an extra dose is taken by mistake.   The side effects of the medicine are quite rare and when present, they do no last for a long time and gets better after a short period as the child’s body is becoming acclimatized to it. Such effect goes away after the treatment is over (Medicines for Children, 2014). 

The risks involved with the drug emanate from various side effects that a parent needs to know about. These include possible diarrhea and stomach pains. The medicine has also been associated with the doubling of cardiac death risk and while combined with drugs that may inhibit erythromycin metabolism can also lead to the same condition (Ray et. al 2004).  Another risk is associated with administering the medicine to patients having a weak hepatic function.  In addition to these effects that may raise concerns when administering to a child is the possibility of itching or mild rashes on the skin, feeling dizzy and having headache. The parent needs to be educated about the need of completing the dose so as to achieve intended impact as well as preventing the bacteria from developing resistance to it. The parent should also be trained on how to deal with side effects.

References

Medicines for Children, (2014). Erythromycin for bacterial infections. Retrieved from: http://www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/content-type/leaflet/pdf/20141030125544_0.pdf

Ray, W. A., Murray, K. T., Meredith, S., Narasimhulu, S. S., Hall, K., & Stein, C. M. (2004). Oral erythromycin and the risk of sudden death from cardiac causes. New England Journal of Medicine, 351(11), 1089-1096.