Itraconazole can cause heart failure (condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood through the body). Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure. Your doctor may tell you not to take itraconazole. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking itraconazole and call your doctor immediately: shortness of breath; coughing up white or pink phlegm; excessive tiredness; fast heartbeat; swelling of the feet, ankles, or legs; waking up at night; and sudden weight gain.
Some medications should not be taken with itraconazole. Make sure you have discussed any medications you are currently taking or plan to take before starting itraconazole with your doctor and pharmacist. Before starting, stopping, or changing any medications while taking itraconazole, please get the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking itraconazole.
Why is this medicine prescribed?
Itraconazole is used to treat fungal infections. Itraconazole is in a class of antifungals called triazoles. It works by slowing the growth of fungi that cause infection.
Are there other uses for this medicine?
Itraconazole is also sometimes used to prevent fungal infections in people who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
How should this medicine be used?
Itraconazole comes as a capsule and a solution (liquid) to take by mouth. Take itraconazole capsules with food (a full meal) 1 to 3 times daily. Take itraconazole oral solutionon an empty stomach once or twice a day. Your doctor will tell you how long to take itraconazole depending on your condition and how you respond to the medication.
Take itraconazole exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Swallow itraconazole capsules whole; do not open, chew, or crush them.
To take itraconazole oral solution for fungal infections of the mouth or throat, swish 10 milliliters (about 2 teaspoons) of the solution in your mouth for several seconds and swallow.
Continue to take itraconazole until your doctor tells you to stop even if you feel well. Do not stop taking itraconazole without talking to your doctor. If you stop taking itraconazole too soon, your infection may come back after a short time.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking itraconazole,
- tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this drug, any part of this drug, or any other drugs, foods or substances. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
- some medications should not be taken with itraconazole. Make sure you have discussed any medications you are currently taking or plan to take before starting itraconazole with your doctor and pharmacist. Before starting, stopping, or changing any medications while taking itraconazole, please get the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. Also, tell your doctor what prescription or nonprescription medications you have taken in the last 2 weeks before starting treatment with itraconazole.
- if you are taking an antacid, take it 2 hours before or 2 hours after you take itraconazole.
- The following nonprescription or herbal products may interact with itraconazole: cimetidine, fluticasone nasal spray, esomeprazole, famotidine; lansoprazole, nizatidine, omeprazole=, or ranitidine. Be sure to let your healthcare provider know that you are taking these medications before you start taking itraconazole. Do not start any of these medications while taking itraconazole without discussing it with your healthcare provider.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had the conditions mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, a heart attack (MI), irregular heartbeat, cystic fibrosis (an inborn disease that causes problems with breathing, digestion, and reproduction), any condition that decreases the amount of acid in your stomach, an organ transplant (surgery to replace an organ in the body), low white blood cells, any condition that affects your immune system such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or kidney, heart, or liver problems.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you can become pregnant, start to take itraconazole to treat nail fungus only on the second or third day of your menstrual period when you are sure you are not pregnant. Use effective birth control during your treatment and for 2 months afterward. If you become pregnant while taking itraconazole to treat any condition, call your doctor.
- you should know that itraconazole may make you dizzy or cause blurred or double vision. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medication.
What should I do if I forget to take a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
What should I do in case of overdose?
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help . If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
What side effects can this medicine cause?
Itraconazole may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- constipation
- stomach pain
- unpleasant taste
- headache
- joint or muscle pain or weakness
- decreased sexual desire
- inability to get or keep an erection
- hair loss
If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, stop taking itraconazole and call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
- excessive tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools
- feelings of numbness, tingling, pricking, burning, or creeping on the skin
- changes in hearing or hearing loss
- blistering or peeling skin
- rash; hives; itching; swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, ankles, or lower legs; hoarseness; difficulty breathing or swallowing
- headaches, blurred vision, chest pain, dizziness, anxiety; muscle weakness, spasms, or cramping, palpitations or feeling like heart is skipping beats, constipation, tingling or numbness
One of the ingredients in itraconazole oral solution caused cancer in some types of laboratory animals. It is not known whether people who take itraconazole solution have an increased risk of developing cancer. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking itraconazole solution.
Itraconazole may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online ( https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch ) or by phone ( 1-800-332-1088).What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat, light, and moisture (not in the bathroom).
Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant. Always lock safety caps. Place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Do not flush this medication down the toilet. Use a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist about take-back programs in your community. Visit the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for more information.What other information should I know?
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to itraconazole.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. If you still have symptoms of infection after you finish the itraconazole, call your doctor.
Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.