1 May 2026Oral drugs
Clarithromycin oral
Clarithromycin guidance for Helicobacter pylori eradication in combination therapy, with renal and QT precautions.
Prescription under medical supervision
This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.
Therapeutic action
Macrolide antibacterial.
Indications
Eradication of Helicobacter pylori, in combination with omeprazole and amoxicillin.
Forms and strengths
- 500 mg tablet.
Dose and duration
- Adult: 500 mg 2 times daily for 7 days.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to patients with allergy to clarithromycin or another macrolide.
- May cause headache, taste disturbances, insomnia, gastrointestinal disturbances, reversible hearing disorders, heart rhythm disorders including QT prolongation, and sometimes severe hypersensitivity reactions. In this event, stop treatment immediately.
- Administer with caution and reduce dosage by half in patients with severe renal impairment.
- Avoid combination with drugs that prolong the QT interval, including amiodarone, antimalarials, antipsychotics, efavirenz, fluconazole, fluoroquinolones, hydroxyzine, and ondansetron.
- Administer with caution and monitor combination with oral antidiabetics, atorvastatin, carbamazepine, daclatasvir, digoxin, phenytoin, and rifabutin.
- Pregnancy: avoid because safety is not established.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page reproduces the structured reference information for this batch while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections.
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