OpenClaim

Clarithromycin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of clarithromycin include nausea, drug interaction, and diarrhoea, based on 42,411 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 6.2% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Clarithromycin side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for clarithromycin.

1
Drug Ineffective6.2%2,639
2
Nausea5.7%2,415
3
Drug Interaction5.6%2,368
4
Diarrhoea4.9%2,074
5
Dyspnoea4.9%2,061
6
Drug Hypersensitivity4.4%1,846
7
Malaise4.2%1,784
8
Headache4.0%1,712
9
Off Label Use4.0%1,704
10
Pyrexia3.5%1,488
11
Vomiting3.5%1,473
12
Fatigue3.3%1,393
13
Rash3.2%1,365
14
Pneumonia3.0%1,275
15
Dizziness2.9%1,223

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that clarithromycin caused these reactions.

Report severity

86.5%Serious36,700 reports
38.0%Hospitalizations16,124 reports
8.4%Fatal3,559 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Clarithromycin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside clarithromycin. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Amoxicillin10.7%4,534
2
Metronidazole5.7%2,409
3
Prednisone4.2%1,802
4
Acetaminophen4.1%1,733
5
Azithromycin4.1%1,720
6
Pantoprazole-sodium4.0%1,690
7
Omeprazole3.9%1,674
8
Lansoprazole3.6%1,528
9
Ciprofloxacin3.6%1,512
10
Atorvastatin-calcium2.8%1,198
11
Levofloxacin2.8%1,191
12
Adalimumab2.6%1,123
13
Fluticasone2.6%1,094
14
Trimethoprim2.5%1,069
15
Esomeprazole2.5%1,048

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen11.5%4,869
2
Albuterol9.9%4,201
3
Amoxicillin9.8%4,140
4
Omeprazole9.6%4,078
5
Aspirin7.9%3,363
6
Furosemide6.9%2,938
7
Prednisone6.0%2,524
8
Lansoprazole5.6%2,360
9
Levothyroxine-sodium5.4%2,300
10
Atorvastatin-calcium5.3%2,250
11
Amlodipine5.1%2,172
12
Fluticasone5.0%2,125
13
Prednisolone4.9%2,084
14
Ergocalciferol4.4%1,866
15
Pantoprazole-sodium3.8%1,624

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports clarithromycin side effects

55.6% of clarithromycin adverse event reports involve female patients and 34.7% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 55%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female55.6%
Male34.7%
Unknown9.7%

Age group

< 21.1%
2–113.8%
12–172.6%
18–6454.6%
65+37.9%

What is clarithromycin used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking clarithromycin when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DiscomfortAbdominal DistensionAbdominal InfectionAbdominal LymphadenopathyAbdominal PainAbdominal Pain UpperAbdominal Wall InfectionAbdominal Wall WoundAbscessAbscess BacterialAbscess LimbAcarodermatitisAcid Fast Bacilli InfectionAcid Peptic DiseaseAcne

Showing 15 of 1,278 indications

Clarithromycin brand names and reporting trend

Clarithromycin is sold under the brand name Biaxin.

Brand names

Biaxin41,655

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking clarithromycin with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.