Itraconazole (oral route)
Available brands
Onmel, Sporanox
About this medication
Itraconazole is used to treat serious fungal or yeast infections. Itraconazoleoral solutionisonlyused to treat oropharyngeal or esophageal candidiasis (thrush, oral thrush). Itraconazolecapsuleis used to treat fungal infections, such as aspergillosis (fungal infection in the lungs), blastomycosis (Gilchrist’s disease), or histoplasmosis (Darling’s disease).Sporanox® capsuleis also used to treat onychomycosis (fungal infection in the fingernails or toenails). Itraconazoletabletisonlyused to treat onychomycosis of the toenails. This medicine works by killing the fungus or yeast and preventing its growth. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of itraconazole have not been performed in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of itraconazole in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have temporary or permanent hearing loss or age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving itraconazole. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Keep using this medicine for the full treatment time, even if you feel better after the first few doses. Your infection may not clear up if you stop using the medicine too soon. Itraconazolecapsulesandtabletsshould be taken with a full meal. Theoral liquidis best taken on an empty stomach. Take thetabletsat the same time each day. Measure theoral liquidwith a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you have thrush in the mouth or throat, place 10 milliliters (mL) of the liquid in your mouth, swish for several seconds, then swallow. Repeat these steps if your total dose is more than 10 mL. If you are using antacids (eg, Maalox®, Mylanta®, Pepcid® Complete, Rolaids®, or Tums®) or other stomach medicine (eg, H2 blocker, proton pump inhibitor), take them at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after using itraconazole. You may also take itraconazole with an acidic beverage (eg, non-diet cola) if you are taking it with an antacid. Use only the brand and the dosage form of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands and dosage forms may not work the same way. Sporanox® oral liquidworks differently than itraconazoleSporanox® capsules, even at the same dose (number of milligrams).Do not switch from the capsules to the oral liquid unless your doctor tells you to. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
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