There is a new claim that a well-known antibiotic could be a health risk.

Commonly called Zithromax or Z-Paks, Azithromycin is a popular antibiotic used to treat common ailments such as bronchitis, ear infections, and pneumonia.

But a new study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" suggests Azithromycin may lead to a greater risk of heart disease and cardiovascular death.

The study looked at more than half a million medicaid patients who took the medication and it showed a greater risk of sudden heart death among those taking the drug.

Last year, doctors wrote prescriptions for Z-Paks more than 55 million times.

But, experts say the overall risk for death in patients taking Zithromax is still very low.