Presentation Outline ICHP Annual Meeting September 13-15

Azithromycin and CV Death
• Endpoint
– CV death and death from any cause
– Time frame of 5 and 10 days from date of Rx fill
N Engl J Med. 2012;366(20):1881-1889.
Azithromycin and CV Death
Study Group
Baseline Characteristics
Number of
Prescriptions
Primary Indication (%)
Mean
Summary CV
Risk Score
Azithromycin 347,795 Ear‐nose‐throat (42) 9.3
Mthd Matched control t l–
no antibiotic
1,391,180 n/a 9.2
Amoxicillin 1,348,672 Ear‐nose‐throat (51) 9.5
Ciprofloxacin 264,626 Genitourinary (45) 10.3
Levofloxacin 193,906 Ear‐nose‐throat (24) 10.6
N Engl J Med. 2012;366(20):1881-1889.
Azithromycin and CV Death
• Demographics
– Mostly female (77.5%) and white (~80%)
– Mean age 49 years
– Frequent use of CV or respiratory meds
– In past 30 days from Rx fill
• ~15% had ED visits
• >1/4 had used abx
– Most baseline characteristics in non‐azithro
groups were P