Patient was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Erythromycin as follows:
- Check with your doctor regarding safety upon receiving any live vaccinations, as Erythromycin by eliminating natural bacterial flora, could lower the body’s resistance. Live vaccinations could turn virulent in such individuals, precipitating new infections.
- Discuss with your physician regarding your history of biliary stasis and obstruction, if any, as Erythromycin is mainly eliminated in the bile. Biliary stasis could result in maintenance of the drug in the body for longer duration, thus leading to toxicity.
- Close watch for signs and symptoms of arrhythmias must be maintained in individuals with history of cardiac arrhythmias, as Erythromycin has the potential to exacerbate any underlying arrhythmias. Compliance with blood work ordered to monitor serum potassium and magnesium ions is mandatory.
- Evenly space out the doses of the antibiotic and take the dose at the scheduled time every day. Keeping to the schedule helps with maintaining a constant level of the antibiotic in the body, which is needed for infection control. Also, this helps to avoid forgetting the medication.
- Complete the course of the antibiotic that it was prescribed for. Do not give up on the antibiotic, against your doctor’s recommendation, even if the symptoms of infection are controlled.
