Nizoral

Pronunciation: KEE-toe-KON-a-zole
Generic Name: Ketoconazole
Brand Name: Nizoral

Nizoral has been shown to cause serious and sometimes fatal liver problems. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms of liver toxicity such as unusual fatigue, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, or severe or persistent nausea. Your doctor will perform liver function tests before you begin taking Nizoral and periodically during treatment.

Use of Nizoral along with certain other medicines may increase your risk of serious and sometimes fatal heart problems, including irregular heartbeat. Do not take Nizoral if you are also taking astemizole, cisapride, or terfenadine.

Nizoral is used for:

Treating fungal infections. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Nizoral is an azole antifungal. It kills sensitive fungi by interfering with the formation of the fungal cell membrane.

Do NOT use Nizoral if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Nizoral


• you have a fungal infection in the brain membranes (fungal meningitis)


• you are taking an aldosterone blocker (eg, eplerenone), astemizole, cisapride, conivaptan, dofetilide, an ergot alkaloid (eg, ergotamine), erythromycin, midazolam, nevirapine, pimozide, a quinazoline (eg, alfuzosin), quinidine, rifabutin, rifampin, terfenadine, triazolam, or a 5-HT receptor agonist (eg, eletriptan)

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Nizoral:

Some medical conditions may interact with Nizoral. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding


• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement


• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances


• if you are allergic to other azole antifungals (eg, itraconazole)


• if you have low stomach acid (eg, hypochlorhydria)


• if you have a history of liver disease, regular alcohol use, alcohol abuse or dependence, or blood problems (eg, prophyria)

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Nizoral. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Many prescription and nonprescription medicines (eg, used for infections, HIV, seizures, anxiety, sleep, heartburn, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart problems, high blood pressure, allergies, irregular heartbeat, pain, blood thinning, asthma, migraines, mood or mental problems, cancer, prostate problems, immune system suppression, erectile dysfunction, urinary problems, or contraception [birth control]), multivitamin products, and herbal or dietary supplements may interact with Nizoral, increasing the risk of serious side effects


• Nevirapine, rifabutin, or rifampin because they may decrease Nizoral's effectiveness


• Astemizole, cisapride, dofetilide, erythromycin, pimozide,quinidine, or terfenadine because the risk of severe heart effects may be increased


• Midazolam or triazolam because their actions and the risk of their side effects may be increased by Nizoral, resulting in increased risk of sedation and breathing difficulties


• Aldosterone blockers (eg, eplerenone), conivaptan, ergot alkaloids (eg, ergotamine), quinazolines (eg, alfuzosin) or 5-HT receptor agonists (eg, eletriptan) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Nizoral

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Nizoral may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

How to use Nizoral:

Use Nizoral as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Take Nizoral by mouth with or without food.


• Do not take an antacid within 1 hour before or 2 hours after you take Nizoral.


• If you are also taking an anticholinergic (eg, hyoscyamine), an H₂ antagonist (eg, famotidine), or a proton pump inhibitor (eg, omeprazole), take Nizoral at least 2 hours before the H₂ antagonist, proton pump inhibitor, or anticholinergic.


• To clear up your infection completely, take Nizoral for the full course of treatment. Keep taking it even if you feel better in a few days.


• Nizoral works best if it is taken at the same time each day.


• If you miss a dose of Nizoral, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Nizoral.

Important safety information:

• Nizoral may cause dizziness or drowsiness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Nizoral with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.


• Rarely, Nizoral may cause a severe allergic reaction right after you take the first dose. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the eyelids, face, or lips; or rash or hives. If this happens, seek medical care at once.


• Use of alcohol with Nizoral has rarely caused symptoms such as flushing, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, nausea, and headache. Talk with your doctor before drinking alcohol while taking Nizoral.


• Do NOT take more than the recommended dose or use for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor.


• Nizoral only works against fungi; it does not treat viral infections (eg, the common cold) or bacterial infections.


• Be sure to use Nizoral for the full course of treatment. If you do not, the medicine may not clear up your infection completely. The infection could also become less sensitive to this or other medicines. This could make the infection harder to treat in the future.


• Diabetes patients - Nizoral may increase the risk of low blood sugar from your diabetes medicine. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine.


• Hormonal birth control (eg, birth control pills) may not work as well while you are using Nizoral. To prevent pregnancy, use an extra form of birth control (eg, condoms).


• Lab tests, including liver function tests, may be performed while you use Nizoral. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.


• Nizoral should be used with extreme caution in CHILDREN; safety and effectiveness in children have not been confirmed.


• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Nizoral while you are pregnant. Nizoral is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while using Nizoral.

Possible side effects of Nizoral:

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Nausea; stomach pain or upset.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloating; dark urine; decreased sexual ability; depression; irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; loss of appetite; numbness or tingling of the hands or feet; pale stools; severe or persistent nausea or stomach pain; swollen or tender abdomen; thoughts of suicide; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual tiredness or fatigue; vision changes; vomiting; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

See also: Nizoral side effects (in more detail)

If OVERDOSE is suspected:

Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately.

Proper storage of Nizoral:

Store Nizoral between 59 and 77 degrees F (15 and 25 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Nizoral out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information:

• If you have any questions about Nizoral, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.


• Nizoral is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.


• If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.


• Check with your pharmacist about how to dispose of unused medicine.

This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Nizoral. If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Issue Date: February 1, 2012

Database Edition 12.1.1.002

Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

More Nizoral resources

• Nizoral Side Effects (in more detail)
• Nizoral Dosage
• Nizoral Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Drug Images
• Nizoral Drug Interactions
• Nizoral Support Group
• 1 Review for Nizoral - Add your own review/rating

• Nizoral Prescribing Information (FDA)


• Nizoral Consumer Overview


• Nizoral Monograph (AHFS DI)


• Nizoral Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information


• Ketoconazole Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)

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