dexamethasone vs erythromycin

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

minor Known Drug Interaction

Drugs which inhibit CYP 3A4 (e.g., ketoconazole, macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin) have the potential to result in increased plasma concentrations of corticosteroids. Co-adminstration with other drugs that are metabolized by CYP 3A4 (e.g., indinavir, erythromycin) may increase their clearance, resulting in decreased plasma concentration.

Drug Class
dexamethasone Corticosteroid
erythromycin Macrolide Antibiotic
Type
dexamethasone Prescription
erythromycin Prescription
Summary
dexamethasone

Dexamethasone (Decadron) is a corticosteroid medicine. It helps reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.

erythromycin

Erythromycin Topical Solution is a medicine that you put on your skin to treat acne. It contains an antibiotic to help clear up your skin.

What It Treats
dexamethasone

This medicine treats many conditions, including allergies, skin problems, and breathing issues. It can also help with certain cancers, hormone problems, and nervous system disorders. Dexamethasone can also be used for short-term relief of arthritis and other joint problems.

erythromycin

Erythromycin Topical Solution treats acne vulgaris. This medicine helps to reduce acne on your face, neck, shoulders, chest, and back. It works by fighting the bacteria that cause acne.

How It Works
dexamethasone

Dexamethasone works by decreasing inflammation in the body. It also changes how your immune system works. This can help reduce symptoms of various conditions.

erythromycin

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps to reduce inflammation and clear up acne.

Common Side Effects
dexamethasone
  • Increased appetite
  • Weight gain
  • Fluid retention
  • Mood swings
  • Insomnia
erythromycin
  • Peeling
  • Dryness
  • Itching
  • Redness
  • Oily skin
FAERS Reports
dexamethasone
  • Fatigue 16,525
  • Diarrhoea 16,515
  • Plasma Cell Myeloma 13,768
  • Nausea 13,495
  • Pneumonia 13,291
erythromycin
  • Drug Hypersensitivity 4,088
  • Nausea 1,271
  • Vomiting 1,121
  • Diarrhoea 1,069
  • Dyspnoea 1,023
Serious Warnings
dexamethasone

If you have a systemic fungal infection, you should not take this medicine. Long-term use can also make it harder for your body to respond to stress.

erythromycin

You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

Pregnancy
dexamethasone

Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine. Dexamethasone may harm an unborn baby. It can also pass into breast milk.

erythromycin

It is not known if erythromycin topical solution can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This dexamethasone vs erythromycin Comparison

dexamethasone is classified in the Corticosteroid drug class, while erythromycin 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, dexamethasone has 73,594 submissions while erythromycin has 8,572. 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 minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to erythromycin slows down the process that removes dexamethasone from your body, which can increase steroid levels. dexamethasone can also cause erythromycin to leave your body faster than usual.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for dexamethasone or erythromycin.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.