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Bedfordshire and Luton Joint Formulary
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
Formulary Chapter: 5 - Infections 
Notes:

For full details on UKHSA guidance for managing common infections with local amendments please see:

BLMK Primary Care Antimicrobial Guidelines hosted via: https://blmkantibioticspubliclive.azurewebsites.net/

Secondary care antimicrobial guidelines:

Bedfordshire Hospitals Foundation Trust: Antimicrobial guidelines are hosted on:  EOLAS Medical App

05.01.05 Macrolides

Azithromycin
(oral)

Formulary

250mg Tablets
200mg/5mL Suspension

Primary care: For use in line with NICE Guidelines and the BLMK Antimicrobial Prescribing Guidelines.

 

Entry reviewed: Dec 2021

Clarithromycin
(oral)

Formulary

250mg & 500mg Tablets
125mg/5mL Suspension
250mg/5mL Suspension

Good bioavailability.

Clarithromycin 500mg
(Injection )

RED
Formulary
Can cause injection site inflammation, tenderness, phlebitis and pain. Must be given via a large peripheral vein over at least 60 minutes diluted to 500mg in 250mL.

Switch to oral preparation as soon as possible since oral bioavailability is excellent (about 100%).

Erythromycin Lactobionate 1g
(Injection )

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted
Restricted - used as a prokinetic agent in critical care patients.
Classifications
May be initiated in any care setting
Specialist to advise therapy and provide first 28 days supply, continuation in Primary Care
Specialist to initiate and stabilise medicine prior to continuation in Primary Care
To be prescribed as per Shared Care Guidance. If no SCG in place status reverts to red.
Red medicines are designated as specialist only medicines which should only be prescribed by a specialist, usually within secondary care (either due to the requirement for specialist knowledge, long-term monitoring requirements, or restrictions that mean medicine supplies are only available to hospitals).
A decision has been made either locally and/or nationally not to routinely commission this preparation. Do not prescribe.
To be purchased over the counter. May be prescribed for chronic, long term conditions or on admission to hospital if essential.