PHARMACOKINETIC AND PHARMACODYNAMIC INTERACTION STUDY BETWEEN MIDAZOLAM AND THE MACROLIDE ANTIBIOTICS, ERYTHROMYCIN, CLARITHROMYCIN, AND THE AZALIDE AZITHROMYCIN

This report includes a recalculation of the pooled data of 2 pharmacok inetic and pharmacodynamic studies of the interaction between the hypn otic midazolam and the antibiotics erythromycin, clarithromycin (macro lides), and azithromycin (an azalide). Erythromycin and clarithromycin similarly and strikingly impaired the metabolism of midazolam and enh anced its pharmacodynamic activity; little or no effect was found with azithromycin. It was concluded that coadministration of midazolam and azithromycin involves less clinical risk than with the 2 macrolides.