Ketek Pak Oral

This medication is a ketolide antibiotic used to treat a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria. It will not work for viral infections (e.g., common cold, flu). Unnecessary use or overuse of any antibiotic can lead to its decreased effectiveness.

How to use Ketek Pak Oral
Read the Medication Guide and, if available, the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start using telithromycin and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions regarding the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth once daily with or without food or as directed by your doctor.
Antibiotics work best when the amount of medicine in your body is kept at a constant level. Therefore, take this drug at evenly spaced intervals.
Continue to take this medication until the full prescribed amount is finished, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping this medication too early may result in a return of the infection.
Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, headache, anxiety, or a strange taste in the mouth may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: vision changes (e.g., blurred/double vision, difficulty focusing).
Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but serious side effects occur: dizziness, fainting, irregular/fast heartbeat, worsening muscle weakness.
Telithromycin may rarely cause very serious liver disease. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop: extreme tiredness, loss of appetite, stomach/abdominal pain, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin.
This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea) due to resistant bacteria. This condition may occur weeks to months after treatment has stopped. Do not use anti-diarrhea products or narcotic pain medications if you have the following symptoms because these products may make them worse. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop persistent diarrhea, abdominal or stomach pain/cramping, or blood/mucus in your stool.
Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in oral thrush or a new vaginal yeast infection (oral or vaginal fungal infection). Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge, or other new symptoms.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking telithromycin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to macrolide antibiotics (e.g., azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin, erythromycin); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: myasthenia gravis, previous liver problems (e.g., yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine) while taking telithromycin or a macrolide antibiotic, previous allergic reaction to telithromycin or a macrolide antibiotic.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: severe kidney disease (including dialysis), liver problems (e.g., hepatitis).
Telithromycin may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can infrequently result in serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that require immediate medical attention. The risk of QT prolongation may be increased if you have certain medical conditions or are taking other drugs that may affect the heart rhythm (see also Drug Interactions section). Before using telithromycin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any of the following conditions: certain heart problems (heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT prolongation in the EKG), family history of certain heart problems (QT prolongation in the EKG, sudden cardiac death).
Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may also increase your risk of QT prolongation. This risk may increase if you use certain drugs (such as diuretics/\"water pills\") or if you have conditions such as severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting. Talk to your doctor about using telithromycin safely.
This medication may cause vision problems, dizziness, or fainting. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness or clear vision until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages.
During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

The effects of some drugs can change if you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time. This can increase your risk for serious side effects or may cause your medications not to work correctly. These drug interactions are possible, but do not always occur. Your doctor or pharmacist can often prevent or manage interactions by changing how you use your medications or by close monitoring.
To help your doctor and pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. While using this product, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any other medicines you are using without your doctor\'s approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug include: anti-seizure drugs (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin), digoxin, ergot drugs (e.g., dihydroergotamine, ergotamine), ivabradine, live bacterial vaccines (e.g., typhoid or cholera vaccines), metoprolol, rifampin, certain \"statin\" drugs for high cholesterol (atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin), St John\'s wort, theophylline, warfarin, drugs removed from your system by certain liver enzymes (such as colchicine, cyclosporine, eplerenone, lurasidone, midazolam, sildenafil, sirolimus, tacrolimus, triazolam).
Many drugs besides telithromycin may affect the heart rhythm (QT prolongation), including amiodarone, cisapride, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), among others. Therefore, before using telithromycin, report all medications you are currently using to your doctor or pharmacist.
Although most antibiotics probably do not affect hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring, some antibiotics may decrease their effectiveness. This could cause pregnancy. Examples include rifamycins such as rifampin or rifabutin. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should use additional reliable birth control methods while using this antibiotic.
This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use. Share this list with your doctor and pharmacist to lessen your risk for serious medication problems.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: irregular/fast heartbeat, fainting.

NOTES:
Do not share this medication with others.
This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another infection unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in that case.
Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

MISSED DOSE:
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:
Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Information last revised July 2012. Copyright(c) 2012 First Databank, Inc.