SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

Serious Warnings and Precautions

What is SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension used for?

• SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension is used to treat certain infections like pneumonia (lung infection), middle ear infections, and infections of the skin and throat that are caused by bacteria.
• It is used to treat mycobacterial infections. Mycobacteria are a group of bacteria that cause several diseases.

Antibacterial drugs like SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension treat only bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections such as the common cold. Although you may feel better early in treatment, SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension should be taken exactly as directed. Misuse or overuse of SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension could lead to the growth of bacteria that will not be killed by SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension (resistance). This means that SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension may not work for you in the future. Do not share your medicine.

How does SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension work?

SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension is an antibiotic that kills bacteria in your body.

What are the ingredients in SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension?

Medicinal ingredients: Clarithromycin.

Non-medicinal ingredients: Acetone, alginic acid, aspartame, castor oil, citric acid (anhydrous), colloidal silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, flavour peppermint, flavour tutti frutti, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, hypromellose phthalate, maltodextrin, povidone, sodium benzoate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate (dihydrate), sucrose, titanium dioxide and xanthan gum.

SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension comes in the following dosage forms:

125 mg / 5mL and 250 mg / 5mL granules for oral suspension (provided in liquid form by your pharmacist).

Do not use SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension if:

• You / your child are allergic to clarithromycin or any of the other ingredients in SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension.
• You / your child are allergic to another medicine called erythromycin or any other medicines from a class of antibiotics called macrolides (such as azithromycin or telithromycin).

• You / your child are taking any of the following medications:

  • Ergotamine, dihydroergotamine (for migraine); Lovastatin, simvastatin, lomitapide (for high cholesterol); Ticagrelor (for cardiovascular disease); Saquinavir (treatment for HIV); Oral midazolam (for trouble sleeping or agitation); Pimozide (for schizophrenia); Colchicine (for gout); Domperidone (for gastrointestinal disorders); Ivabradine (for treatment of stable chronic heart failure).
  • Pimozide, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine and colchicine can interact with SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension, possibly leading to an irregular heartbeat. Deaths have occurred.
• You / your child had liver problems after taking SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension, or any other medicine containing clarithromycin, in the past.
• You / your child have severe liver failure in combination with kidney problems.
• You / your child have a history of heart disturbance or irregular heartbeat such as arrhythmias, QT prolongation or torsades de pointes.
• You/ your child have low levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia) or low levels of magnesium in the blood (hypomagnesemia).

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• Or your child has now or has had health problems in the past.
• Or your child has or develops severe diarrhea as this may be a sign of a more serious condition.
• Or your child has kidney problems.
• Or your child has liver problems.
• Or your child are taking medicines called digoxin (for heart failure); atorvastatin or pravastatin (for high cholesterol); or midazolam (a sedative).
• Or your child are taking a medicine called quetiapine (for schizophrenia, bipolar depression). Serious and life-threatening side effects have occurred in people taking clarithromycin and quetiapine, including malignant neuroleptic syndrome (fever, rigid muscles, dizziness, fainting, and altered mental state). Your healthcare professional will decide if you / your child should take this medication.
• Or your child are allergic to other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
• Or your child have hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose / galactose malabsorption or sucrose / maltase insufficiency since this product contains sucrose.
• Or your child have a condition called phenylketonuria, as SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension contains aspartame.

• Are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or think you might be pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. Clarithromycin can pass into your breastmilk and harm your baby.
• Or your child have a condition called myasthenia gravis which is a chronic disease that causes muscle weakness. SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension may make your myasthenia gravis worse.
• Or your child are taking SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension and oral medicines for diabetes (such as gliclazide, glyburide) and / or with insulin as this can result in serious low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Discuss with your healthcare professional how you should monitor your blood sugar levels.
• Or your child are taking warfarin, as there is a risk of serious bleeding with SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension.
• Or your child are taking triazolam, alprazolam or other benzodiazepines (midazolam). These should be used cautiously with SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension due to the serious risk of effects on your brain and spinal cord.
• Or your child are taking SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension and medicines used to prevent blood clots such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban and endoxaban, particularly if your healthcare professional has told you that you / your child are at high risk of bleeding.

Other warnings you should know about:

Serious heart problems:

Use of antibiotics like SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension have resulted in heart problems such as irregular heartbeat, torsades de pointes and QT prolongation sometimes leading to death. Talk to your healthcare professional if you are elderly, have risk factors, or you / your child:

• Have heart disease, heart problems or slow heartbeat.
• Are taking other medicines which are known to cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm.
• Have disturbances in the levels of salts (electrolytes) in your blood, such as low levels of magnesium (hypomagnesemia).

Antibiotic resistance and HIV:

Development of antibiotic resistance (where the medicine no longer works to kill bacteria) has been seen in patients with HIV taking clarithromycin. To avoid this, you should always take your medicine as advised by your healthcare professional.

Driving and using machines:

If you feel dizzy, confused or disorientated while taking SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension, do not drive or operate machines.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension:

• Alfentanil (used during surgery).
• Alprazolam, hexobarbital, phenobarbital, midazolam, triazolam (sedative medications).
• Amlodipine, diltiazem, verapamil (calcium channel blockers often used for high blood pressure).
• Aripiprazole, pimozide, quetiapine, risperidone (for schizophrenia, bipolar depression).
• Atazanavir, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, nevirapine, efavirenz, etravirine, zidovudine (treatments for HIV).
• Atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin, lomitapide (for high cholesterol).
• Bromocriptine (used for problems with your pituitary gland and Parkinson’s disease).
• Carbamazepine (for seizures, nerve pain or bipolar depression).
• Cilostazol, digoxin, quinidine, disopyramide, warfarin / acenocoumarol, ticagrelor (diseases of your blood vessels and heart).
• Colchicine (treatment for gout).
• Cyclosporine (used for psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and after organ transplant).
• Domperidone (used for gastrointestinal disorders).
• Ergotamine, dihydroergotamine (often used for migraine headaches).
• Fluconazole, itraconazole (for fungal infections).
• Hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine (used to treat conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, or to treat or prevent malaria)
• Insulin, nateglinide, pioglitazone, repaglinide, rosiglitazone (for diabetes).
• Ivabradine (used for treatment of stable chronic heart failure).
• Lansoprazole, omeprazole (proton pump inhibitors for heart burn and reflux).
• Corticosteroids (eg. methylprednisolone, an anti-inflammatory.
• Phenytoin, valproic acid (treatment of seizures and epilepsy).
• Rifabutin, rifampin (treatments for infections).
• Rivaroxaban, apixaban, endoxaban (to prevent blood clots).
• Sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil (treatments for erectile dysfunction).
• St. John’s Wort (for depression).
• Tacrolimus (used after organ transplant).
• Theophylline (asthma and other lung problems).
• Tolterodine (treatment for overactive bladder).
• Vinblastine, ibrutinib (cancer treatment).

How to take SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension:

• Always take it exactly how your / your child’s healthcare professional has told you.
• Your / your child’s healthcare professional will tell you how much SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension to take and when to take it.
• How much you / your child are prescribed will depend on the condition you / your child have.

• You / your child can take SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension with or without

  • meals.
• SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension will be prepared in liquid form by your pharmacist.
• Shake prior to each use to ensure resuspension.

Usual dose:

SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension may be taken with or without meals. SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension sometimes has a bitter after taste, therefore, the suspension should be taken with food and /or juice.

The recommended daily dose of SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension is 15 mg / kg / day, in divided doses every 12 hours. The daily dose should not to exceed 1000 mg. The usual duration of treatment is for 5 to 10 days.

Overdose:

Symptoms of SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension overdose are abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

Missed Dose:

• If you / your child miss a dose, take / give it as soon as you remember.
• If it is almost time for your / your child’s next dose, the missed dose should not be taken.
• Take / give to your child the next dose when you would normally take / give it.
• Never take / give to your child a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

What are possible side effects from using SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension?

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

Side effects may include:

• abdominal pain
• abnormal taste
• diarrhea
• ear disorder (trouble hearing and ringing in your ears)
• flatulence
• indigestion
• headache
• nausea
• rash
• vomiting

Serious side effects and what to do about them

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting Side Effects

Storage:

Keep SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension and all other medicines out of reach and sight of children.

Store dry powder at controlled room temperature 15° C to 30° C. Protect from light. Store reconstituted product between 15° C and 25° C and use within 14 days. Do not refrigerate. Discard after 14 days. The graduated syringe used for dosage administration should be rinsed between uses. Do not leave syringe in bottle. Do not store reconstituted suspension in syringe.

If you want more information about SPC-Clarithromycin for Oral Suspension:

• Talk to your healthcare professional
• Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada Drug Product Database website: (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); or by calling 1-866-840-1340.

Last revised: OCT 16, 2026

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