VORICONAZOLE

Not available.

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.

Common side effects:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea, and
• headache

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including:

• vision changes (e.g., blurring, color vision changes),
• sensitivity of eyes to light (photophobia),
• pain/swelling at injection site,
• shortness of breath,
• flushing,
• increased sweating, bone/muscle/joint pain,
• weakness,
• muscle stiffness/spasm,
• mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, restlessness),
• swelling of the ankles/feet,
• tiredness,
• easy bleeding/bruising,
• signs of infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat)

Get medical help right away 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, seizures, chest/jaw/left arm pain.

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.

Precautions:

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using this medication.

• Allergy: Before using 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.
• Medical History: Tell your doctor your medical history, especially of: liver disease, kidney disease, heart problems (e.g., irregular heartbeats, cardiomyopathy), recent chemotherapy, untreated electrolyte imbalance (e.g., low calcium levels).
• QT prolongation: 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.
• Vision changes: 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.
• Liver problems: Avoid alcoholic beverages because they can increase the risk of serious liver problems.
• Sensitivity to the sun: 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.

Pregnancy risk: Category D.  This medication is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby. Discuss the use of reliable forms of birth control (such as condoms, birth control pills) with your doctor.

Breastfeeding:  It is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Interactions:

• 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.

Notes

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., liver/kidney function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Missed Dose

For the best possible benefit, it is important to receive each scheduled dose of this medication as directed. If you miss a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately to establish a new dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Consult the product instructions and your pharmacist for storage details. Keep all medications 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.

Brands:

Available Brands

• VFEND [ Pfizer ]