What is the risk of cardiovascular death among adults within days of a dispensed azithromycin prescription?
BEEM Bottom Line
Why is this study important?
The macrolide antibiotics such as azithromycin and clarithromycin are commonly prescribed to emergency department (ED) patients but, in some people, are also believed to cause QT prolongation.[1] These people are then at significant risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmias. This administrative health care database cohort study measures the association between unexpected death from multiple (albeit primarily cardiovascular) causes within days of being dispensed an azithromycin prescription in almost 2 million adults.
Which, if any, threats to validity are most likely to have an impact on the results and how?
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