Delirium associated with the use of macrolide antibiotics: a review.

CONCLUSIONS: Considering that these drugs may be a possible cause of delirium, clinicians should be aware that timely recognition of this possible side effect can lead to earlier discontinuation of the culprit drug, reduce time spent in a delirious state and improve patients' outcomes. KEY POINTS Cases of delirium which satisfied inclusion criteria were found for clarithromycin, azithromycin, erythromycin and telithromycin. Cases of delirium were described in patients of various age groups, including children. Drug-drug interactions may have contributed to the occurrence of delirium in some of the cases. Time to onset of delirium ranged from 2 to 3.5 days (mean: 2.5 days) for azithromycin and from 1 to 7 days (mean: 3.3 days) for clarithromycin. Cessation of the macrolide antibiotic seems to be the best management strategy, although some of the patients may, in addition, require antipsychotics. PMID: 33026877 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract Source Type: research