Itraconazole

Description

Itraconazole is an antifungal which is used to treat a variety of infections caused by fungi in lungs, mouth, and throat. Take this capsule with food for better absorption.

Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Itraconazole

  • Convulsions
  • Dry mouth
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Increased thirst
  • Abdominal pain
  • Decreased urine output
  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness
  • Nervousness
  • Weight gain
  • Decreased interest in sexual intercourse
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Acid or sour stomach
  • Heartburn

Uses of Itraconazole

What is it prescribed for?

  • Blastomycosis
  • Histoplasmosis
  • Invasive Aspergillosis
  • Esophageal Candidiasis
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Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action
    The peak effect of this medicine can be observed in 2 hours for an oral solution and 5 hours for a capsule.
  • Duration of effect
    The effect of this medicine lasts for an average duration of 16 to 28 hours.
  • Safe with alcohol?
    Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
  • Is it habit forming?
    No habit forming tendencies were reported.
  • Usage in pregnancy?
    This medicine is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor about the potential benefits and risks before deciding to take this medicine.
  • Usage while breast-feeding?
    This medicine is not recommended for use during breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor about the potential benefits and risks before deciding to take this medicine.

Allergy

Itraconazole is not recommended for use if you have a known allergy to this medicine.

QT Interval prolonging drugs

Itraconazole is not recommended for co-administration with drugs that are known to cause specific changes in heart rhythm.

Congestive Heart Failure

Itraconazole is not recommended for the treatment of onychomycosis in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) or a history of CHF.
Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

This medicine is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor about the potential benefits and risks before deciding to take this medicine.

Breast-feeding

This medicine is not recommended for use during breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor about the potential benefits and risks before deciding to take this medicine.
General warnings

Liver injury

Itraconazole may increase the liver enzyme levels and can cause hepatitis and jaundice. Close monitoring of liver function tests is necessary at the time of initiation of the treatment. Discontinue the medicine if symptoms worsen.

Arrhythmias and QT Prolongation

Itraconazole may cause Arrhythmia and QT Prolongation especially in the patients with existing heart disease. Close monitoring of heart function is necessary. Do not use medicines that can increase the risk of Arrhythmia.

Hearing loss

Itraconazole may cause transient or permanent hearing loss when taken with quinidine. Close monitoring of any symptoms of any hearing problem is necessary. Discontinue the treatment if symptoms persist.

Cystic Fibrosis

Itraconazole should be used with caution in the patients with cystic fibrosis. Switch to alternate treatment if this medicine is not responding.

Absorption

Absorption of Itraconazole is higher in acidic conditions. Do not take any medicines that can alter gastric acid content.

Neuropathy

Itraconazole may cause weakness, numbness, and pain in hands and feet. Discontinue the treatment if these symptoms appear.

Missed Dose

The missed dose can be taken as soon as you remember. If it is time for the next dosage then the missed dose can be skipped.

Overdose

Inform your doctor immediately if you are experiencing symptoms of overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol

Description

Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

Instructions

Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine

Alprazolam

Erythromycin

Warfarin

Atorvastatin

Disease interactions

Liver Disease

Itraconazole should be administered with caution if you are suffering from impaired liver functioning. Suitable dosage adjustments and safety monitoring is recommended in such cases.

QT Prolongation

Itraconazole should be administered with caution if you are suffering from any pre-existing heart condition. Suitable dosage adjustment and safety monitoring is recommended in such cases.
Food interactions
Take Itraconazole capsule with food for a better absorption and Itraconazole solution should be taken on an empty stomach.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Itraconazole should be taken following all the instructions that are given by your doctor. To ensure complete recovery and no relapse, the full course of treatment should be followed. It is more effective if taken at the same time on all days. Any instance of side effect should be reported to the doctor immediately.
Miscelleneous

To be taken after food

To be taken as instructed by doctor

May cause sleepiness

How it works
Itraconazole acts by stopping the production of a certain vital component for the fungi. This results in disruption of cell membrane formation process and inhibits the growth of the organism.
Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Approved

Approved

Classification

Category

Azole antifungals

Schedule

Schedule H

DailyMed - Itraconazole capsules capsule [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 24 March 2017]. Available from:

https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=1e243ffb-31be-39a7-4946-83ce7b839e0a

[Internet]. 2017 [cited 24 March 2017]. Available from:

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/32181

Itraconazole: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 24 March 2017]. Available from:

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a692049.html

Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database [Internet]. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 2017 [cited 24 March 2017]. Available from:

https://www.tga.gov.au/prescribing-medicines-pregnancy-database#searchname

[Internet]. Toxnet.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 24 March 2017]. Available from:

https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2

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Information on this page was last updated on 16 Nov 2017

Disclaimer

We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.