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bromocriptine vs clarithromycin

Side-by-side comparison of bromocriptine and clarithromycin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Other Drugs Metabolized by CYP3A: Alfentanil Bromocriptine Cilostazol Methylprednisolone Vinblastine Phenobarbital St. John’s Wort Use With Caution There have been spontaneous or published reports of CYP3A based interactions of clarithromycin with alfentanil, methylprednisolone, cilostazol, bromocriptine, vinblastine, phenobarbital, and St.

Recommendation: Use this combination with caution, as your doctor may need to adjust your dosage.

Drug Class
bromocriptine Dopamine Agonist (Diabetes)
clarithromycin Macrolide Antibiotic
Type
bromocriptine Prescription
clarithromycin Prescription
Summary
bromocriptine

Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body. It is used to treat conditions caused by hormone imbalances, acromegaly, and Parkinson's disease.

clarithromycin

Clarithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections. It belongs to a class of drugs called macrolides.

What It Treats
bromocriptine

This medicine can treat problems caused by too much prolactin, a hormone. These problems include irregular periods, lack of periods, infertility, and low sex hormone levels. It can also treat tumors that produce prolactin. Bromocriptine can also treat acromegaly (a condition where the body produces too much growth hormone) and Parkinson's disease.

clarithromycin

Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria. It can treat bronchitis, sinus infections, pneumonia, and throat/tonsil infections. It also treats skin infections, ear infections in children, certain mycobacterial infections, and H. pylori infections that cause ulcers.

How It Works
bromocriptine

Bromocriptine works by acting like dopamine, a natural substance in the brain. It helps to lower the amount of prolactin and growth hormone in your body. In Parkinson's disease, it helps improve motor control.

clarithromycin

Clarithromycin works by stopping the growth of bacteria. It prevents bacteria from making proteins they need to survive. This helps your body fight off the infection.

Common Side Effects
bromocriptine
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Lightheadedness
clarithromycin
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Taste changes
FAERS Reports
bromocriptine
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 46
  • Pain in your head 35
  • Throwing up 33
  • Feeling unsteady or lightheaded 31
  • Fever 29
clarithromycin
  • Drug Interaction 2,906
  • Nausea 2,214
  • Dyspnoea 1,959
  • Diarrhoea 1,937
  • Malaise 1,650
Serious Warnings
bromocriptine

This medicine may cause low blood pressure. Tell your doctor if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, are sensitive to ergot alkaloids, or are allergic to bromocriptine or any of the ingredients in the tablets. If you are taking this medicine for high prolactin and become pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether to continue taking it.

clarithromycin

Clarithromycin can cause severe allergic reactions. Stop taking it and get medical help right away if you have signs of a reaction. This medicine can also cause heart rhythm problems (QT prolongation) and liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have heart or liver issues. Clarithromycin may increase the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease.

Pregnancy
bromocriptine

If you are taking bromocriptine for high prolactin and become pregnant, talk to your doctor. They will help you decide whether to continue taking it. If you are taking this medicine for acromegaly, prolactinoma, or Parkinson’s disease and become pregnant, discuss with your doctor whether the therapy is still medically necessary.

clarithromycin

Clarithromycin is not recommended during pregnancy unless there are no other options. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if clarithromycin passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This bromocriptine vs clarithromycin Comparison

bromocriptine is classified in the Dopamine Agonist (Diabetes) drug class, while clarithromycin sits within the Macrolide Antibiotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, bromocriptine has 174 submissions while clarithromycin has 10,666. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to clarithromycin slows down the liver enzyme that breaks down bromocriptine, which can cause the drug to build up in your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between bromocriptine and clarithromycin - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.