Azithromycin cannot be dosed safely just by “number of tablets.” The correct dose and number of days depend on:

A common adult prescription for certain infections is 500 mg on day 1, then 250 mg once daily on days 2 to 5. If using 250 mg tablets, that would be 2 tablets on day 1, then 1 tablet daily for 4 days, totaling 6 tablets. Other infections may use 500 mg daily for 3 days, or a different treatment entirely. These are examples only, not a personal prescription. The official label specifically says dose and duration vary by infection and patient group, as shown in the DailyMed prescribing information.

Do not take it for a nonspecific “bacterial infection,” a cold, flu, or sore throat without a clinician confirming the cause. The wrong antibiotic or course can fail to treat the illness and promote resistance.

Seek urgent care for trouble breathing, facial swelling/rash, fainting or a fast/irregular heartbeat, or severe/watery or bloody diarrhea. Check with a clinician or pharmacist first if you have a heart-rhythm condition, low potassium/magnesium, liver disease, or use medicines that can affect heart rhythm.