Drug Database: Itraconazole

What is itraconazole?

Itraconazole is an antifungal prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of certain fungal infections, such as:

• Histoplasmosis
• Certain types of mucocutaneous candidiasis, including esophageal candidiasis (infection of the esophagus) and oropharyngeal candidiasis (infection of part of the throat)

Histoplasmosis and mucocutaneous candidiasis can be opportunistic infections (OIs) of HIV. An OI is an infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems—such as people with HIV—than in people with healthy immune systems. To learn more about OIs, read the HIVinfo What is an Opportunistic Infection? fact sheet.

How is itraconazole used in people with HIV?

The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and/or the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Children with and Exposed to HIV include recommendations on the uses of itraconazole to:

Treat:

• Histoplasmosis
• Mucocutaneous candidiasis, including esophageal candidiasis, oropharyngeal candidiasis, and uncomplicated vulvovaginal candidiasis
• Coccidioidomycosis
• Cryptococcosis
• Microsporidiosis, specifically disseminated infection caused by certain types of microsporidia
• Talaromycosis
  

Prevent:

• Histoplasmosis from occurring the first time and from recurring
• Oropharyngeal candidiasis from recurring
• Coccidioidomycosis from recurring
• Talaromycosis from occurring the first time and from recurring

The recommended uses may not always be consistent with FDA-approved uses of itraconazole. See the Adult and Pediatric Opportunistic Infection Guidelines for complete information on recommended uses of itraconazole in adults and children with HIV. Itraconazole may have other recommended uses not listed above.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking itraconazole?

Before taking itraconazole, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to itraconazole or any other medicines.
• About any medical conditions you have or have had, including:
  • Heart problems
  • Kidney or liver problems
  • Weakened immune system (immunocompromised)
  • Lung problems, including cystic fibrosis
• About anything that could affect your ability to take medicines, such as difficulty swallowing or remembering to take pills.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking itraconazole during pregnancy. The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV may include other recommendations on the use of itraconazole during pregnancy. Please refer to these guidelines for additional information.
• If you are breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Itraconazole may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how itraconazole works. Ask your health care provider if there are interactions between itraconazole and the other medicines you take.

Ask your health care provider about possible side effects from itraconazole. Your health care provider will tell you what to do if you have side effects.

How should I take itraconazole?

Take itraconazole according to your health care provider’s instructions. Your health care provider will tell you how much itraconazole to take and when to take it. Before you start itraconazole and each time you get a refill, read any printed information that comes with your medicine.

How should itraconazole be stored?

• Store itraconazole capsules at room temperature, 59°F to 77°F (15°C to 25°C). Protect the capsules from light and moisture.
• Store itraconazole oral solution at or below 77°F (25°C). Do not freeze the oral solution.
• Keep itraconazole in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed.
• Do not use itraconazole if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away itraconazole that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep itraconazole and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about itraconazole?

• Recommendations on the HIV-related uses of itraconazole, from the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Children with and Exposed to HIV.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Capsule; Solution. The Patient Package Insert includes information for people taking itraconazole.
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for itraconazole available from MedlinePlus.
• Itraconazole-related research studies, from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests.)