Prophylactic and pharmacotherapeutic use of Azitromycin during the Covid-19 pandemic and its health risks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14450/2318-9312.v36.e1.a2024.pp41-48Keywords:
COVID-19, pandemic, azithromycin, adverse events.Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused vulnerable health conditions around the world. It achieved rapid viral
spread, causing large numbers of infected people and deaths, causing insecurity among health professionals
as there was no known and effective pharmacotherapeutic method to combat the new pathology. Therefore,
the most sought after and introduced pharmacological measures were the use of drugs, which despite
already belonging to known pharmacological classes, at that time had a new therapeutic indication”,
thus, one of the most prescribed medications for the treatment of COVID-19 has been Azithromycin.
Since azithromycin is an antibiotic and therefore requires a medical prescription for commercialization
(RDC 20/2011), the aim of the work was to verify the increase in its irrational use during the Covid-19
pandemic. Therefore, this work proposes a qualitative, descriptive and retrospective analysis of data on
the use of azithromycin during the pandemic period. The study collected 114 surveys from volunteers,
70.2% of whom had contracted the disease. Of these, 49.12% used azithromycin as part of their treatment,
and 19.30% used it preventively. Varying dosages and superdoses contributed to toxicity and adverse
reactions. The study found that inappropriate use of azithromycin, including self-medication, poses a risk
to individual and public health, including the emergence of bacterial resistance. Responsible antibiotic use
and self-medication are critical, and the pharmaceutical industry has a role in promoting ethical practices
and responsible medication use. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of rational drug use
and responsible self-medication practices to minimize adverse reactions and bacterial resistance during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Responsible and informed drug use is crucial to prevent the spread of infections and
maintain medication effectiveness.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Camila Freitas Oliveira, Elaine Ulchak
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