Antibiotics for acute bronchitis

Examples

---

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Dispermox	amoxicillin

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Zithromax	azithromycin

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Biaxin XL	clarithromycin

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Vibramycin	doxycycline

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Ery-Tab	erythromycin

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Sulfatrim	trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole combination

How It Works

---

Antibiotics slow or stop the growth of bacteria or kill them.

Why It Is Used

---

If you have no other health problems, experts recommend that antibiotics not be used for acute bronchitis.¹ Whether your health professional prescribes antibiotics and what type depend on the type of infection you have, your age, any other medical conditions you have, and your risk of complications from acute bronchitis, such as pneumonia.

How Well It Works

---

Research on antibiotics and acute bronchitis reports that:^{2, 3}

• Antibiotics modestly reduce cough after 1 to 2 weeks, but have no effect on night cough, a cough that brings up mucus, or quality of life.
• In people who also have symptoms of a common cold and have been ill less than a week, antibiotics generally are not effective.
• Azithromycin was no more effective than vitamin C when people were asked about health-related quality of life.

Side Effects

---

Different types of antibiotics have different side effects. Common side effects include:

• Diarrhea.
• Nausea.
• Upset stomach.
• Vomiting.
• Sore mouth.
• Skin rash.
• Dizziness or headache.
• Increased sensitivity to sun (sunburn easily).
• Vaginal yeast infection.

A recent large study indicates that people who take erythromycin along with certain common medications may increase their risk of sudden cardiac death.⁴ The study showed that the risk of sudden cardiac death is greater when erythromycin is taken with some medications that inhibit certain liver enzymes—such as certain calcium channel blockers, certain antifungal medications, and some antidepressants—than when these medications are not taken together.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

---

The benefits of antibiotics for acute bronchitis are small and must be weighed against the risk of side effects and the possibility of antibiotic resistance.

If your health professional prescribes antibiotics, take the entire prescription. Don't stop taking the medication when you start to feel better. If you do not take the entire prescription, the bacteria causing the infection may not be entirely destroyed. The bacteria may grow again and make you sick, or the bacteria may become resistant to the antibiotic so that the antibiotic may not work the next time it is used.

Although smokers with acute bronchitis receive antibiotics more than nonsmokers, antibiotics are no more effective in smokers than in nonsmokers.²

If you have pneumonia or a chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis, or bronchiectasis, other antibiotics may be used.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

References

---

Citations

1. Gonzales RG, et al. (2001). Principles of appropriate antibiotic use for treatment of uncomplicated acute bronchitis: Background. Annals of Internal Medicine, 134(6): 521–529.

2. Wark P (2005). Acute bronchitis, search date March 2006. Online version of Clinical Evidence (14): 1–10.

3. Fahey T, et al. (2006). Antibiotics for acute bronchitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1). Oxford: Update Software.

4. Ray WA, et al. (2004). Oral erythromycin and the risk of sudden death from cardiac causes. New England Journal of Medicine, 351(11): 1089–1096.

Credits

---

Author	Sabra L. Katz-Wise
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Associate Editor	Terrina Vail
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology
Last Updated	August 31, 2006