voriconazole – oral, Vfend
Medication Uses How To Use Side Effects Precautions Drug Interactions Overdose Notes Missed Dose Storage USES: Voriconazole is an azole antifungal used to treat a variety of fungal infections. HOW TO USE: This medicine comes with a Patient Information Leaflet. Read it carefully. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have about this medicine.Take this medication by mouth, at least 1 hour before or 1 hour after meals, usually every 12 hours or as directed by your doctor.The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to therapy, and interacting drugs.This medication works best when the amount of medicine in your body is kept at a constant level. Therefore, take this drug at evenly spaced intervals.Continue to take this medication until the full prescribed amount is finished. Stopping the medication too early may result in a return of the infection.Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens. SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and headache may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly.Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: vision changes (e.g., blurred vision, color vision changes), sensitivity of eyes to light (photophobia), bone/muscle/joint pain, weakness, mental/mood changes, muscle stiffness/spasm, restlessness, swelling of the ankles/feet, tiredness, easy bleeding/bruising, signs of infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat).Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: fast/slow/irregular heartbeat, severe dizziness, fainting, change in the amount of urine, confusion, slurred speech, trouble breathing, chest/jaw/left arm pain, seizures.Voriconazole may rarely cause serious (possibly fatal) liver problems. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, persistent nausea/vomiting, stomach/abdominal pain.A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.Voriconazole can commonly cause a mild rash that is usually not serious. However, you may not be able to tell it apart from a rare rash that could be a sign of a severe allergic reaction. Therefore, seek immediate medical attention if you develop any rash.This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.In the US -Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.In Canada – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
PRECAUTIONS: Before taking voriconazole, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other azole antifungals (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: liver disease, recent chemotherapy, certain hereditary problems with digesting/absorbing the sugar galactose (e.g., galactose intolerance, Lapp lactase deficiency, glucose-galactose malabsorption), untreated electrolyte imbalance (e.g., low calcium levels), heart problems (e.g., irregular heartbeat, cardiomyopathy).Voriconazole may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can infrequently result in serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right away.The risk of QT prolongation may be increased if you have certain medical conditions or are taking other drugs that may cause QT prolongation. Before using voriconazole, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the drugs you take and if you have any of the following conditions: certain heart problems (heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT prolongation in the EKG), family history of certain heart problems (QT prolongation in the EKG, sudden cardiac death).Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may also increase your risk of QT prolongation. This risk may increase if you use certain drugs (such as diuretics/"water pills") or if you have conditions such as severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting. Talk to your doctor about using voriconazole safely.This drug may cause vision changes. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires clear vision until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Do not drive at night.Avoid alcoholic beverages since they can increase the risk of serious liver problems.This medication may make you more sensitive to the sun. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths, and sunlamps. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors.Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using this medication.Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially QT prolongation (see above).This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may harm an unborn baby. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss reliable forms of birth control. It is recommended that men and women using this medication use two effective forms of birth control (e.g., condoms and diaphragms with spermicide) while taking this medication. Consult your doctor.It is not known if this medication passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
QUESTION
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.Some products that may interact with this drug include: ergot alkaloids (such as ergotamine, dihydroergotamine), sirolimus, a certain combination HIV medication (such as efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir).Many drugs besides voriconazole may affect the heart rhythm (QT prolongation), including amiodarone, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), among others.This medication can slow down the removal of other medications from your body, which may affect how they work. Examples of affected drugs include certain alpha blockers (such as alfuzosin, silodosin, tamsulosin), birth control pills, cisapride, dronedarone, eletriptan, eplerenone, lurasidone, ranolazine, certain "statin" drugs (such as lovastatin, simvastatin), ticagrelor, tolvaptan, among others.Other medications can affect the removal of voriconazole from your body, which may affect how voriconazole works. Examples include certain barbiturates (such as mephobarbital, phenobarbital), carbamazepine, enzalutamide, primidone, rifamycins (such as rifabutin, rifampin), ritonavir, St. John’s wort, among others. OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. NOTES: Do not share this medication with others.This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another infection unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in that case.Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details. MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up. STORAGE: Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product. Information last revised January 2014. Copyright(c) 2014 First Databank, Inc.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval.Some products that may interact with this drug include: ergot alkaloids (such as ergotamine, dihydroergotamine), sirolimus, a certain combination HIV medication (such as efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir).Many drugs besides voriconazole may affect the heart rhythm (QT prolongation), including amiodarone, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), among others.This medication can slow down the removal of other medications from your body, which may affect how they work. Examples of affected drugs include certain alpha blockers (such as alfuzosin, silodosin, tamsulosin), birth control pills, cisapride, dronedarone, eletriptan, eplerenone, lurasidone, ranolazine, certain "statin" drugs (such as lovastatin, simvastatin), ticagrelor, tolvaptan, among others.Other medications can affect the removal of voriconazole from your body, which may affect how voriconazole works. Examples include certain barbiturates (such as mephobarbital, phenobarbital), carbamazepine, enzalutamide, primidone, rifamycins (such as rifabutin, rifampin), ritonavir, St. John’s wort, among others. OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. NOTES: Do not share this medication with others.This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another infection unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in that case.Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details. MISSED DOSE: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up. STORAGE: Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product. Information last revised January 2014. Copyright(c) 2014 First Databank, Inc.
