The drug "Itraconazole" (tablets, ointment, cream, solution or capsules) is used to treat various fungal infections. However, it is equally effective for the treatment of diseases localized in different parts of the body.
Medicinal substance
The drug itself and any analogue of "Itracanozol" belongs to the class of antifungal triazoles. This artificially synthesized drug prevents the synthesis of ergosterol, which is necessary for the normal functioning of fungi. The drug "Itraconazole" inhibits the development of dermatophytes, Candida yeast fungi, mold fungi and other pathogens. Some strains of microorganisms are resistant to the action of this agent.
The drug "Itraconazole" is available in tablets, capsules, in the form of a solution (liquid), ointment. There are far more than one analogue of Itraconazole on sale. Similar drugs are available in different dosage forms.
Any analogue of "Itraconazole" and, in fact, this drug itself is most often used fortherapy of fungal infections of the respiratory system, in particular the lungs. These medicines are also used to treat patients who have fungal infections in the throat, mouth or esophagus. Very often, this infection affects the nails of a person. In this case, another dosage form of the drug "Itraconazole" is used - an ointment for external use, which effectively fights a fungal infection on the nails or skin. It is also prescribed for psoriasis.
Indications for use
This drug and its analogues are used for the following diseases:
• ringworm;
• candidiasis;
• sporotrichosis;
• versicolor;
• onychomycosis;
• blastomycosis;
• cryptococcosis;
• Keratomycosis;
• paracoccidioidomycosis;
• systemic aspergillosis and candidiasis;
• histoplasmosis;
• tropical mycosis.
Duration of therapy may be adjusted depending on the clinical picture. Most often, this drug is taken once a day. Most commonly used treatment regimens:
• Pityriasis versicolor: 200mg per week;
• ringworm: 200 mg weekly or 100 mg for 15 days;
• Onychomycosis: 3 months 200mg or week 200mg twice daily;
• Dermatophytosis of the hands and feet: 200mg weekly or 100mg for 1 month;
• candidiasis: 100 mg for 15 days;
• Keratomycosis: 200mg for 3 weeks.
Methods of taking whenlung infections
For the treatment of fungal infections of the respiratory tract, Itraconazole tablets or capsules are prescribed. Analogues are cheaper, but they may have a more distant effect in time, so the disease is more difficult to defeat in the shortest possible time. Tablets or capsules are taken 1-2 times a day, during or immediately after meals. It usually takes at least 3 months to treat a fungal lung infection. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe the following course of therapy: 3 tablets per day for 3 days, and then 3 months, 1-2 tablets per day.
Taking medication for nail infection
The drug "Itraconazole" - tablets that are also prescribed for the treatment of fungal nail infections. For a complete cure, it is taken 1 time per day for 12 weeks. More effective is the oral solution "Itraconazole". It is taken for 1-4 weeks 1-2 times a day. At the same time, for faster absorption, the medicine is consumed on an empty stomach. Only the attending physician can choose the most optimal regimen for taking the drug or prescribe an analogue of Itraconazole, who will take into account the severity of the disease and the general condition of the patient. In especially advanced cases, for the treatment of fungal infections of the nails, another form of the drug "Itraconazole" is used - an ointment that is applied to the affected areas 1-2 times a day.
Other uses of the drug
Any analogue of "Itraconazole" and this drug itself has been increasingly used in complex therapy in recent yearsvarious types of fungal infections in patients affected by HIV and AIDS. In this case, self-medication is unacceptable, since only the attending physician can correctly assess the patient's state of he alth and the possible risks of taking Itraconazole.
Special Instructions
The drug "Itraconazole", analogues of this medicine should be taken in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of the attending physician. In smaller or larger doses, they may be ineffective or may harm the he alth of the patient.
Capsules "Itraconazole", analogues cheap or expensive are taken as follows: capsules and tablets are swallowed whole. However, they should not be chewed or crushed. If there is a decrease in the level of acidity in the stomach, caused, for example, by cystic fibrosis, this should be reported to the attending physician.
In some cases, the regimen for taking this drug may be changed. Most often this happens when the patient takes the following drugs during therapy: Famotidine, Nizatidine, Esomeprazole, Cimetidine, Omeprazole, Ranitidine, Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole.”
Contraindications
In some cases, Itraconazole is contraindicated for patients. Instructions for similar drugs often prohibit the use of such antifungal drugs in case of allergies to their components. That is why, when prescribing therapy using these drugs, the attending physician must know for sure whether the patient has an allergic reaction to the substances includedinto them.
The drug should not be taken by pregnant and lactating women. To prevent possible pregnancy during treatment, it is necessary to use effective contraception. With caution, this drug is prescribed to elderly patients. Taking it in childhood is possible only if the benefit outweighs the potential risk. The drug is not recommended for patients with heart failure, ischemia, severe lung disease, renal failure.
"Itraconazole", analogues of the drug should not be taken in a double dose with a possible skipping of the medication. It is best to forget about the missed dose and continue to follow the regimen. An overdose of this drug or its analogues should not be allowed, as this can lead to very serious he alth complications.
Interaction with other drugs
Before taking Itraconazole, the attending physician should be aware of what drugs the patient has taken before. This is especially true for the use of drugs such as Efavirenz, Everolimus, Sildenafil, Aliskiren, Rifabutin, Apixaban, Nevirapin, Dasatinib, Ibrutinib, Salmeterol, Darifenacin, Nilotinib, Carbazepine, Sunitinib, Colchicine, Rivaroxaban, Phenobarbital, Tamsulosin, Isoniazid, Phenytoin, Vardenafil, Rifampicin, Nevirapine, Temsirolimus.
In addition to the above drugs, before using Itraconazole, you should inform your doctor about taking the followingfunds:
• anticoagulants;
• antibiotics;
• HIV protease inhibitors;
• vitamins;
• dietary supplements (BAA).
When using Itraconazole and antacids at the same time, the latter are used 1 hour before or a couple of hours after taking an antifungal medication.
Side effects
The drug "Itraconazole" sometimes causes dizziness and blurred vision in the form of a double image. Do not drive or operate machinery while taking this drug. The most commonly reported side effects when taking it include bloating, increased gas formation, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, the occurrence of an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth; increased sweating, dizziness, headache, bleeding and sore gums, muscle pain, decreased muscle tone, runny nose, fever, joint pain, depression, decreased sex drive, hair loss.
The following side effects are considered especially dangerous for the patient's he alth: double vision, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, heart failure, hepatitis, involuntary urination, anaphylactic and allergic reactions, dark urine, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, loss of appetite, excessive fatigue, yellowing of the skin and eyes, numbness and tingling of soft tissues and skin, photophobia, skin rash, itching, hoarseness, pulmonary edema, menstrual irregularities, swelling in the face, throat, hands,ankles. If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should immediately inform your doctor about it.
How to choose an analogue of "Itraconazole"
Every year more and more people are faced with the problem of fungal diseases. At the same time, many patients decide that it is not necessary to purchase Itraconazole for their treatment. Analogues are cheaper, so they are often preferred. In fact, the choice of this drug or its analogues should be decided only by the attending physician. In some particularly severe cases, the complete recovery of the patient helps to achieve only Itraconazole. Alternatives are cheap, but not all of them are as effective as this drug.
What can replace Itraconazole? Ointment, analogues of this remedy in other dosage forms are widely represented in pharmacies. Structural analogues include the following medicines produced in capsule feed: Irunin, Intramikol, Itrazol, Mikonikhol, Kanditral, Kanazol, Teknazol, Orungal, Rumikoz, Orungamine”, “Orunit”.
Analogues of "Itraconazole" in terms of therapeutic action are the following drugs:
- capsules: Diflucan, Diflazon, Itrazol, Orungal, Rumikoz, Flucostat, Fluconazole, Fungolon;
- tablets: "Atifin", "Binafin", "Ketoconazole", "Fungoterbin", "Exifin", "Nizoral";
- ointments, creams, gels: Akriderm, Lamisil Dermagel, Terbizil, Exifin, Mikomax, Mycozoral, Triderm, Fungoterbin, Ketoconazole, Canison "," Lamitel ",Candide, Amiklon, Zalain, Canizon, Atifin, Clotrimazole, Lamisil, Ifenek, Lamitel, Terbix, Imidil;
- candles, vaginal tablets: "Zalain", "Candid", "Canison", "Mikogal", "Imidil".
Reviews
What is the opinion of people who have taken Itraconazole? Analogues, reviews of which are often negative, and this drug itself often does not bring the expected results from therapy. At the same time, the presence of a huge number of contraindications and side effects makes these medicines quite dangerous for the he alth of many patients. Moreover, the risk of unpleasant consequences from the use of "Itraconazole" and its analogues increases significantly if the instructions of the attending physician or self-medication are not followed.
Very often there are negative reviews about the drug "Itraconazole" (candles). Analogues of this drug are also often perceived by patients with apprehension. This is due to the fact that in some cases, the therapy of fungal diseases with the help of suppositories must be supplemented by taking Itraconazole or its analogues inside.
