Nizoral

Generic name: Ketoconazole (oral)
Drug class: Azole antifungals

Usage of Nizoral

Nizoral is an antifungal medication that fights infections caused by fungus.

Nizoral is not for use in treating fungal infections of the fingernails or toenails. This medicine is also not for use in treating prostate cancer or Cushing syndrome.

Nizoral should be used only when you cannot use other antifungal medications. Ketoconazole can cause serious harm to your liver that may result in liver transplant or cause death.

Nizoral side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Nizoral (hives, fever, chest pain, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Call your doctor at once if you have:

fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness (like you might pass out);

unusual weakness or tiredness, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting; or

liver problems - upper stomach pain, fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Common Nizoral side effects may include:

nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain

breast swelling;

headache, dizziness; or

abnormal liver function tests.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Nizoral

You should not use Nizoral if you are allergic to ketoconazole, or if you have liver disease.

Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with ketoconazole. Your doctor may change your treatment plan if you also use:

cisapride;

colchicine;

irinotecan;

methadone;

tolvaptan;

antipsychotic medicine - pimozide, lurasidone;

cholesterol medication - lovastatin, simvastatin, and others;

ergot medicine - dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, ergonovine, methylergonovine;

heart medication - disopyramide, dofetilide, dronedarone, eplerenone, felodipine, nisoldipine, quinidine, ranolazine; or

a sedative - alprazolam, midazolam, or triazolam.

To make sure Nizoral is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

liver problems;

long QT syndrome (in you or a family member); or

problems with your adrenal gland.

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant.

You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

Do not give this medicine to a child without medical advice.

Relate drugs

How to use Nizoral

Take Nizoral exactly as it was prescribed for you. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose.

Your doctor will perform blood tests to make sure you do not have conditions that would prevent you from safely using Nizoral.

You may need to use this medicine for up to 6 months.

Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication. Ketoconazole will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.

While using Nizoral, you may need frequent blood tests to check your liver function.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Do not share this medicine with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.

Warnings

Nizoral should be used only when you cannot use other antifungal medications. Ketoconazole can cause serious harm to your liver that may result in liver transplant or cause death.

Call your doctor at once if you have any signs of liver damage, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using. Many drugs can interact, and some drugs should not be used together.

Nizoral can also cause a serious heart problem. Call your doctor right away if you have fast or pounding heartbeats, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness.

What other drugs will affect Nizoral

Some medicines can make it harder for your body to absorb ketoconazole. If you take an antacid, take it 1 hour before or 2 hours after you take Nizoral. Tell your doctor if you also take a stomach acid reducer, such as Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, Zantac, and others.

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.

Nizoral can cause a serious heart problem. Your risk may be higher if you also use certain other medicines for infections, asthma, heart problems, high blood pressure, depression, mental illness, cancer, malaria, or HIV.

Many drugs can interact with ketoconazole. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.