A female patient who is allergic to penicillin will begin taking an antibiotic to treat a lower respiratory tract infection. The patient tells the nurse that she almost always develops a vaginal yeast infection when she takes antibiotics and that she will take fluconazole (Diflucan) with the antibiotic being prescribed. Which macrolide order would the nurse question for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Macrolides such as azithromycin and clarithromycin have a risk of inducing or exacerbating yeast infections, but erythromycin has been known to have a higher risk for this adverse effect. Therefore, the nurse should question the prescription of erythromycin for this patient who has a history of developing yeast infections when taking antibiotics. Fidaxomicin is not a macrolide, so it would not be a concern for this particular adverse effect.

A Female Patient Who Is Allergic to Penicillin Will Begin