1. What Claritt is and what it is used for 
Claritt belongs to a group of medicines called macrolide antibiotics. The active ingredient is clarithromycin.
Antibiotics stop the growth of bacteria (bugs) which cause infections.
Claritt is used to treat infections such as:
- Chest infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
- Throat and sinus infections.
- Skin and tissue infections.
- Helicobacter pylori infection associated with duodenal ulcer (Just for tablets).
- Ear infections particularly inflammation of the middle ear (Acute otitis media) (Just for oral suspension).
Claritt tablets are indicated in adults and children 12 years and older.
Claritt oral suspension is used in children 6 months to 12 years old.

2. Before you take or give Claritt
Do not take or give Claritt 
- If you or your child is allergic to clarithromycin, other macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin or azithromycin, or any of the other ingredients in this drug.
- If you or your child is taking medicines called ergotamine or dihydroergotamine tablets or use ergotamine inhalers for migraine.
- If you or your child is taking medicines called terfenadine or astemizole (widely taken for hay fever or allergies) or cisapride (for stomach disorders) or pimozide (for mental health problems) as combining these drugs can sometimes cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm.
- If you or your child is taking lovastatin or simvastatin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, used to lower levels of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the blood).
- If you or your child has low levels of potassium in the blood
(a condition known as hypokalaemia).
- If you or your child has severe liver disease with kidney disease.
- If you or your child has an irregular heart rhythm.
Claritt tablets are not suitable for use in children under 12 years of age.
Take special care with Claritt
- If you or your child has any liver or kidney problems.
- If you or your child has, or is prone to, fungal infections (e.g. thrush).
- If you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
- If you have been told by the doctor that your child has an intolerance to any sugars as Claritt oral suspension contains sucrose.
If any of these apply to you or your child, consult your doctor before taking or giving Claritt.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you or your child is taking any of the following medicines as the dose may need to be changed or you may need to have regular tests performed:
- Digoxin, quinidine or disopyramide (for heart problems).
- Warfarin (for thinning the blood).
- Carbamazepine, valproate, phenobarbital or phenytoin (for epilepsy).
- Atorvastatin, rosuvastatin (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, and used to lower levels of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the blood).
- Colchicine (usually taken for gout).
- Nateglinide, pioglitazone, repaglinide, rosiglitazone or insulin (used to lower blood glucose levels).
-Theophylline (used in patients with breathing difficulties such as asthma).
- Triazolam, alprazolam or midazolam (sedatives).
- Cilostazol (for poor circulation).
- Omeprazole (for treatment of indigestion and gastric ulcers), unless your doctor has prescribed it for you to treat Helicobacter pylori infection associated with duodenal ulcer.
- Methylprednisolone (a corticosteroid).
- Vinblastine (for treatment of cancer).
- Ciclosporin, sirolimus and tacrolimus (immune suppressants).
- Etravirine, efavirenz, nevirapine, ritonavir, zidovudine, atazanavir, saquinavir (anti-viral drugs used in the treatment of HIV).
- Rifabutin, rifampicin, rifapentine, fluconazole, itraconazole (used in the treatment of certain bacterial infections).
- Tolterodine (for overactive bladder).
- Verapamil (for high blood pressure).
- Sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil (for impotence in adult males or for use in pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lung)).
- St John’s Wort (a herbal product used to treat depression).
Claritt does not interact with oral contraceptives.
Taking or giving Claritt with food and drink
Claritt may be taken given with or without food.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or if you are breast-feeding, consult your doctor before taking or giving Claritt as the safety of Claritt in pregnancy and breast-feeding is not known.
As Claritt oral suspension may be given to girls of Children-bearing age you should speak to your doctor before giving this medicine if pregnancy is known or suspected.
Driving and Using Machines
Claritt may make you feel dizzy or drowsy. If it affect you in this way do not drive, operate machinery or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Claritt oral suspension.
If you have been told by the doctor that your child has an intolerance to some sugars, contact the doctor before giving this medicinal product. This product contains sucrose. This should be taken into account in patients with diabetes mellitus.

3. How to take or give Claritt 
Always take or give Claritt exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Tablets:
Do not give Claritt tablets to children under 12 years. Your doctor will prescribe another dosage form for your child.
The usual dose is:
For chest infections, throat or sinus infections and skin and soft tissue infections:
Usual dose of Claritt tablets for adults and children over 12 years is 250 mg twice daily for 6 to 14 days, e.g. one 250 mg tablet in the morning and one in the early evening. Your doctor may increase the dose to 500 mg twice daily in severe infections.
Claritt tablets should be swallowed with at least half a glass of water.
For the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection associated with duodenal ulcers:
There are a number of effective treatment combinations available to treat Helicobacter pylori in which Claritt tablets are taken together with one or two other drugs.
These combinations include the following and are usually taken for 6 to 14 days:
a) One Claritt 500 mg tablet taken twice a day together with amoxycillin, 1000 mg taken twice a day plus lansoprazole, 30 mg twice a day.
b) One Claritt 500 mg tablet taken twice a day together with metronidazole, 400 mg taken twice a day plus lansoprazole, 30 mg twice a day.
c) One Claritt 500 mg tablet taken twice a day together with amoxycillin, 1000 mg taken twice a day or metronidazole, 400 mg taken twice a day plus omeprazole, 40 mg a day.
d) One Claritt 500 mg tablet taken twice a day together with amoxycillin, 1000 mg taken twice a day plus omeprazole, 20 mg taken once a day.
e) One Claritt 500 mg tablet taken three times a day together with omeprazole 40 mg taken once a day.
The treatment combination that you receive may differ slightly from the above. Your doctor will decide which treatment combination is the most suitable for you. If you are unsure which tablets you should be taking or how long you should be taking them for, please consult your doctor for advice.
Oral Suspension:
The usual doses of Claritt oral suspension are given below:

Children who weigh less than 8 kg should be given a dose of 0.3 ml/kg twice a day of Claritt 125 mg / 5 ml oral suspension and a dose of
0.15 ml/kg twice a day of Claritt 250 mg / 5 ml oral suspension.
Doctors may sometimes prescribe higher or lower doses than these.
Claritt oral suspension should be given twice a day, once in the morning and again in the early evening. It can be given at mealtimes if this is more convenient.
You should shake the bottle well before using and close it tightly afterwards.
Claritt oral suspension is usually given for 5 to 10 days.
Reconstitution of the oral suspension:
Add water to the granules in the bottle until the line on the label.
Shake well, add water again until the line and shake well.
If you take or give more Claritt than you should
If you accidentally take or give your child more Claritt in one day than your doctor has told you to, or if a child accidentally swallows some extra medicine, contact your doctor or nearest hospital emergency department immediately. An overdose of Claritt is likely to cause vomiting and stomach pains.
If you forget to take or give Claritt
If you forget to take or give your child a dose of Claritt, take or give one as soon as you remember. Do not take or give more in one day than your doctor has told you to.
If you stop taking or giving Claritt
Do not stop taking or giving Claritt, even if you or your child feels better. It is important to take or give the medicine for as long as the doctor has told you to, otherwise the problem might come back.

4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Claritt can cause side effects although not everybody gets them.
If you or your child suffers from any of the following at any time during your treatment stop taking or giving the medicine and contact your doctor immediately:
- Severe or prolonged diarrhea, which may have blood or mucus in it. - Diarrhea may occur over two months after treatment with clarithromycin, in which case you should still contact your doctor.
- A rash, difficulty breathing, fainting or swelling of the face and throat. This is a sign that you may have developed an allergic reaction.
- Yellowing of the skin (jaundice), skin irritation, pale stools, dark urine, tender abdomen or loss of appetite. These may be signs that your liver may not be working properly.
- Severe skin reactions such as blistering of the skin, mouth, lips, eyes and genitals (symptoms of a rare allergic reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis).
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura (a rash which appears as purple spots on the skin).
Common side effects of Claritt include:
- Headache.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Changes in sense of taste.
- Stomach problems such as feeling sick, vomiting, stomach pain, indigestion, diarrhea.
- A change in the way your liver works.
- Skin rash.
- Increased sweating.
Other less common side effects include:
- Swelling, redness or itchiness of the skin. Sometimes brown scales may appear.
- Acne.
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura (a rash which appears as purple spots on the skin).
- Oral or vaginal ‘thrush’ (a fungal infection).
- Reduction in the level of certain blood cells (which can make infections more likely or increase the risk of bruising or bleeding).
- Loss of appetite, heartburn, bloating, constipation, wind.
- Inflammation of the pancreas.
- Anxiety, nervousness, drowsiness, tiredness, dizziness, tremor or shaking.
- Confusion, loss of bearings, hallucinations (seeing things), change in sense of reality or panicking, depression, abnormal dreams or nightmares.
- Convulsion (fits).
- Ringing in the ears or hearing loss.
- Vertigo.
- Paraesthesia, more commonly known as ‘pins and needles’.
- Leaking of blood from blood vessels (haemorrhage).
- Inflammation of the mouth or tongue.
- Discolouration of the tongue or teeth.
- Dry mouth.
- Loss of taste or smell or inability to smell properly.
- Joint pain.
- Muscle pain or loss of muscle tissue. If you suffer from myasthenia gravis (a condition in which the muscles become weak and tire easily) or rhabdomyolysis (a condition which causes the breakdown of muscle tissue), clarithromycin may worsen these symptoms.
- Chest pain or changes in heart rhythm such as palpitations.
- A change in the levels of products made by the liver, inflammation of the liver or an inability of the liver to function properly (you may notice yellowing of the skin, dark urine, pale stools or itchiness of the skin).
- A change in the levels of products produced by the kidney, inflammation of the kidney or an inability of the kidney to function properly (you may notice tiredness, swelling or puffiness in the face, abdomen, thighs or ankles or problems with urination).
- Low blood sugar levels.
- A change in the levels of certain cells or products found in the blood.
- High temperature. 
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor.

5. How to store Claritt
Keep out of reach of children.
Store below 30°C.
Claritt Oral Suspension:
The reconstituted suspension can be used within 14 days when stored  below 30°C.
Do not use beyond the expiry date or if the product shows any signs of deterioration.