How long does azithromycin stay in your system?
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 19, 2024.
Azithromycin will be in your system for around 15.5 days, after the last dose.
Azithromycin has an elimination half-life of 68 hours. The prolonged terminal half-life is thought to be due to extensive uptake and subsequent release of drug from tissues.
It takes around 5.5 x elimination half life's for a medicine to be out of your system. Therefore it would take 374 hours about 15.5 days (5.5 x 68 hours) for it to be eliminated from the system. So it'll be in your system for that period of time, after the last dose.
Other factors to consider:
- How much and how often you have taken the drug.
- Your metabolic rate – a slower metabolism will increase the time a drug remains in your system.
- Your age and health – older age and poor health will generally increase the time the drug stays in your system.
- Body mass – generally the bigger you are the longer a drug will remain in your system.
Read next
What are the best antibiotics for a tooth infection?
There are several antibiotics that kill the common mouth bacteria that cause tooth infections. The best (first-line) antibiotics for tooth infection include: Amoxicillin, Penicillin, Cephalexin, Clindamycin, Azithromycin. Amoxicillin is often the first choice because it is widely effective and has the fewest gastrointestinal side effects. Continue reading
What is the Best Antibiotic for Strep Throat?
Penicillin and amoxicillin are the first-choice antibiotics for strep throat. According to the CDC, Group A Streptococcus (the bacteria that cause Strep throat) has never shown resistance to penicillin, making it the gold standard treatment.
Continue reading
Does azithromycin cure chlamydia: How much / how long?
A single dose of azithromycin 1 gram orally will cure genital chlamydia according to the CDC Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Diseases but it will take approximately one week to work. You should not have sex during this time, otherwise you may infect your sexual partner with chlamydia. Continue reading
See also:
Related medical questions
- What antibiotics kill Covid-19 (coronavirus)?
- What are the best antibiotics for pneumonia?
- What antibiotics are used to treat chlamydia and gonorrhea?
- Can you drink alcohol with Z-Pak (Azithromycin)?
- Was azithromycin in my system long enough to treat chlamydia after throwing up?
- Zithromax Z-Pak - can Tums (antacids) be taken with Z-Pak?
- Azithromycin - Can I drink a glass of wine at night if I have taken the medicine in the day?
- Azithromycin - can you cut the pill in half?
Drug information
- Azithromycin Information for Consumers
- Azithromycin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Azithromycin (detailed)
- Azithromycin user reviews (1,309)
Related support groups
- Azithromycin (84 questions, 186 members)
- Bronchitis (53 questions, 137 members)