• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is ketoconazole?
Ketoconazole is an antifungal antibiotic. Ketoconazole is used to treat infections caused by fungus, which can invade any part of the body including the mouth, throat, esophagus, lungs, bladder, or skin. Ketoconazole may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of ketoconazole?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeat;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

• numbness or tingly feeling;

• severe depression, confusion, or thoughts of hurting yourself; or

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, weakness, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain;

• mild itching or skin rash;

• headache;

• dizziness;

• breast swelling; or

• impotence or loss of interest in sex.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take ketoconazole?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Ketoconazole works best if you take it with food. Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Ketoconazole will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu. To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your liver function may need to be checked with blood tests on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

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What is the most important information I should know about ketoconazole?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to ketoconazole, or if you are also taking cisapride (Propulsid) or triazolam (Halcion). Other drugs that should not be taken together with ketoconazole include astemizole (Hismanal) and terfenadine (Seldane) (these drugs are no longer available in the U.S.). Before taking ketoconazole, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, a heart rhythm disorder, decreased stomach acid (achlorhydria), or a history of "Long QT syndrome."

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect ketoconazole?
Many drugs can interact with ketoconazole. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using: acetaminophen (Tylenol); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Sandimmune, Neoral); digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin); tacrolimus ((Prograf); loratadine (Alavert, Claritin, Tavist ND); methylprednisolone (Medrol); phenytoin (Dilantin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane); diabetes medication you take by mouth; a sedative such as midazolam (Versed); a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Ketoconazole has been assigned to pregnancy category C. Animal studies revealed evidence of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity. There are no controlled data in human pregnancies. Ketoconazole should only be given during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

Ketoconazole is excreted into human milk. The manufacturer recommends against its use during lactation.

A nursing woman was treated with ketoconazole 200 mg orally once a day. Based on samples measured after the tenth dose, it was estimated that the infant received a maximum daily dosage that was 1.4% of the mother's weight-adjusted dosage. The mother continued to breast-feed the infant during therapy. No adverse effects were reported in the infant.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Hypersensitivity to ketoconazole.
• Concomitant use with certain drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 isoenzymes (e.g., astemizole [no longer commercially available in the US], cisapride, midazolam, terfenadine [no longer commercially available in the US], triazolam). (See Specific Drugs under Interactions.)

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a ketoconazole overdose are not known.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ketoconazole?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to ketoconazole, or if you are also taking cisapride (Propulsid) or triazolam (Halcion). Other drugs that should not be taken together with ketoconazole include astemizole (Hismanal) and terfenadine (Seldane) (these drugs are no longer available in the U.S.). Before taking ketoconazole, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: decreased stomach acid (achlorhydria); liver disease; kidney disease; a heart rhythm disorder; or

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
If you have been diagnosed with a disease for which an antibiotic is needed, you must complete the prescribed course of treatment. Even if you start to feel better, do not skip any doses and remember to take the medication until it is all gone.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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