Z-Pack For Strep Throat: Is It A Good Choice, Side Effects & More

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HealthlineSubscribeUsing Z-Pack to Treat Strep Throat

Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD — Written by University of Illinois — Updated on March 27, 2019

Z-Pack basics
For strep throat
Azithromycin side effects
Talk with your doctor
Q&A: Drug allergy

If you have strep throat, a doctor will prescribe the antibiotic they think is best for you. In most cases, this would be penicillin or amoxicillin. However, you may be prescribed a Z-Pack.

Strep throat is an infection of your throat and tonsils, the two small tissue masses in the back of your throat. The infection can cause symptoms such as sore throat and swollen glands. It can also cause fever, loss of appetite, and white spots on your tonsils.

Strep throat is caused by bacteria, so it’s treated with an antibiotic. Treatment with an antibiotic can shorten the amount of time you have strep throat symptoms and decrease the spread of infection to other people.

Antibiotics can also prevent strep throat from turning into a more serious illness, such as rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is a disease that can damage your heart valves.

Z-Pack is a form of the brand-name drug Zithromax, which contains the antibiotic azithromycin. Azithromycin is an antibiotic that can treat strep throat, though it’s not a common choice for this infection.

Z-Pack and other treatments

Azithromycin is used to treat many different kinds of bacterial infections, including bronchitis and pneumonia. However, it’s not typically the first choice for treating strep throat. The antibiotics amoxicillin or penicillin are most often used for this condition.

That said, azithromycin or Z-Pack may be used to treat strep throat in certain cases. For instance, your doctor may prescribe it if you’re allergic to penicillin, amoxicillin, or other antibiotics that are used more often to treat strep throat.

SPREADING STREP THROAT
You can easily spread a strep throat infection through direct contact with mucus from your nose or throat, such as by coughing or sneezing. You can also spread it by drinking from the same glass as someone else or sharing a plate of food with them. You’re much less likely to spread the infection to other people if you’ve been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours.

Treating strep throat with Z-Pack

If your doctor thinks azithromycin is a good choice for you, they may prescribe a generic version of azithromycin or a Z-Pack.

Each Z-Pack contains six 250-milligram (mg) tablets of Zithromax. You would take two tablets on the first day, followed by one tablet daily for four days.

A Z-Pack typically takes at least five days to fully work, but it can start to relieve your sore throat and other symptoms on the first day you take it. If your doctor prescribes a generic version of azithromycin, your treatment may only last three days.

Be sure to take your Z-Pack or generic azithromycin exactly as your doctor prescribes. This is true even if you feel better before you’ve taken the full course of treatment.

If you stop taking an antibiotic early, it could make the infection come back or make future infections more difficult to treat.

Side effects of azithromycin

As with any medication, azithromycin can cause side effects. Some of the more common side effects include:

diarrhea
stomach pain
nausea and vomiting
headache

Less common and more serious side effects can also occur when taking azithromycin. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these side effects:

allergic reaction, with symptoms such as skin rash or swelling of your lips or tongue
yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
easy bleeding or bruising
severe diarrhea or diarrhea that doesn’t go away
heart rhythm problems

Talk with your doctor

If you have strep throat, your doctor will prescribe the antibiotic they think is most appropriate for you. In most cases, this would be penicillin or amoxicillin. However, some people are prescribed a Z-Pack or generic azithromycin.

If you have further questions about either medication, be sure to ask your doctor. Your questions might include:

Is this the best drug to treat my strep throat?
Am I allergic to penicillin or amoxicillin? If so, are there any other drugs I should avoid?
What should I do if my throat still hurts after I finish my medication?
What can I do to relieve my sore throat while I wait for the antibiotic to work?

Q&A: Drug allergy

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A:

Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Azithromycin– azithromycin tablet, film coated. (2018). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=f6a52c0b-45db-422e-8c22-e867a11b4439
Diseasescaused by group A strep. (2018). https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/index.html
Highlightsof prescribing information: Zithromax. (2017).http://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx?format=PDF&id=511
ShulmanST, et al. (2012). Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and managementof group A streptococcal pharyngitis: 2012 update by the Infectious DiseasesSociety of America. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cis629
Strepthroat. (2015). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4602-strep-throat
Zithromax – azithromycin dehydrate tablet, filmcoated. (2018).https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=db52b91e-79f7-4cc1-9564-f2eee8e31c45

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Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD — Written by University of Illinois — Updated on March 27, 2019

Z-Pack For Strep Throat: Is It A Good Choice, Side Effects & More

Z-Pack and other treatments

Treating strep throat with Z-Pack

Side effects of azithromycin

Talk with your doctor

Q&A: Drug allergy

Q:

A:

How we reviewed this article:

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