What is ketoconazole

Store ketoconazole topical at room temperature. Protect from light and do not refrigerate or freeze. Use the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not use two doses at one time. An overdose of ketoconazole topical is not expected to be dangerous. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at if anyone has accidentally swallowed the medication.

Do not get this medicine in your eyes. If contact does occur, rinse with water. Avoid covering treated skin areas with tight-fitting, synthetic clothing such as nylon or polyester that doesn't allow air to circulate to your skin.

If you are treating your feet, wear clean cotton socks and sandals or shoes that allow for air circulation. Keep your feet as dry as possible. You may need to avoid sunlight if you are treating pityriasis. Follow your doctor's instructions. Avoid using skin products that can cause irritation, such as harsh soaps, shampoos, hair coloring or permanent chemicals, hair removers or waxes, or skin products with alcohol, spices, astringents, or lime.

Avoid using other medications on the areas you treat with ketoconazole topical unless your doctor tells you to. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction : hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Medicine used on the skin is not likely to be affected by other drugs you use. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all medicines you use, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise.

Your medication may not work as well or may stop working completely. For this drug to work well, a certain amount needs to be in your body at all times.

You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Take your dose as soon as you remember. But if you remember just a few hours before your next scheduled dose, take only one dose. Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. This could result in dangerous side effects. Symptoms can include extreme thirst, weight loss, darkening of your skin, unusual tiredness, joint aches and pains, and loss of appetite.

If you have these symptoms, call your doctor. If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room.

Taking it again could be fatal cause death. Drinking alcohol can increase your risk for liver damage while taking this drug.

If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor. For pregnant women: Ketoconazole is a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:. This drug should be used only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child.

Ketoconazole has been shown to be excreted in the milk. Ketoconazole can interact with several other medications. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. Below is a list of medications that can interact with ketoconazole. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with ketoconazole. Before taking ketoconazole, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take.

Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Certain drugs should not be taken with ketoconazole.

Doing so can cause dangerous effects in the body. Examples of these drugs include:. A prescription for this medication is refillable.

You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. Ketoconazole is in a class of antifungal medications called imidazoles. It works by slowing the growth of fungi that cause infection.

Prescription ketoconazole comes as a cream and a shampoo to apply to the skin. Over-the-counter ketoconazole comes as a shampoo to apply to the scalp. Ketoconazole cream is usually applied once a day for 2 to 6 weeks. Prescription ketoconazole shampoo is usually applied one time to treat the infection.

Over-the-counter ketoconazole shampoo is usually used every 3 to 4 days for up to 8 weeks, and then used as needed to control dandruff. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use ketoconazole exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor. One treatment with prescription ketoconazole shampoo may successfully treat your tinea versicolor infection.

However, it may take several months for your skin color to return to normal, especially if your skin is exposed to sunlight. After your infection is treated, there is a chance that you will develop another tinea versicolor infection. If you are using over-the-counter ketoconazole shampoo to treat dandruff, your symptoms should improve during the first 2 to 4 weeks of your treatment.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during this time or if your symptoms get worse at any time during your treatment. If you are using ketoconazole cream, your symptoms should improve at the beginning of your treatment. Continue to use ketoconazole cream even if you are feeling well.

If you stop using ketoconazole cream too soon, your infection may not be completely cured and your symptoms may return. Ketoconazole cream and shampoos are only for use on the skin or scalp. Do not let ketoconazole cream or shampoo get into your eyes or mouth, and do not swallow the medication. If you do get ketoconazole cream or shampoo in your eyes, wash them with plenty of water. Ketoconazole cream and prescription shampoo are also sometimes used to treat dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis condition that causes flaking of the skin.

Ketoconazole cream is sometimes used to treat tinea manuum fungal infection of the skin on the hands.

Ketoconazole cream is also sometimes used with other medications to treat skin conditions that are often worsened by fungal infection such as diaper rash, eczema skin irritation caused by allergies , impetigo blisters caused by a bacterial infection , and psoriasis a lifelong skin condition.

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. Apply 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.