Itraconazole dosage

Information on the interaction between itraconazole and rifabutin is very limited, but monitor for reduced antifungal activity, raising the itraconazole dosage as necessary, and watch for increased rifabutin levels and toxicity (in particular uveitis). More study is needed. Note that the manufacturers recommend that the combination should be avoided. "... 

The interaction between itraconazole and rifampicin is established and elinically important. Monitor the effects of concurrent use, being alert for the need to increase the itraconazole dosage. The effect on serum itraconazole levels can be very marked indeed. The clinical importance of this interaction can apparently depend on the mycosis being treated. Note that the manufacturer considers that itraconazole should not be used with rifampicin, since its levels are so markedly reduced. ... 

The effects of buspirone are decreased when the drug is administered with fluoxetine Increased serum levels of buspirone occur if the drug is taken with erythromycin or itraconazole Should any of these combinations be required, the dosage of buspirone is decreased to 2.5 mg BID, and the patient is monitored closely. Venlafaxine blood levels increase with a risk of toxicity when administered witii MAOIs or cimetidine There is an increased risk of toxicity when trazodone is administered with the phenothiazines and decreased effectiveness of trazodone when it is administered with carbamazepine Increased serum digoxin levels have occurred when digoxin is administered with trazodone There is a risk for increased phenytoin levels when phenytoin is administered witii trazodone... 

Disseminated histoplasmosis Acute (Infantile) Subacute Progressive histoplasmosis (immunocompetent patients and immunosuppressed patients without AIDS) 0.02-0.05 Disseminated histoplasmosis Untreated mortality 83% to 93% relapse 5% to 23% in non-AIDS patients therapy is recommended tor all patients Nonimmunosuppressedpatients Ketoconazole 400 mj day orally x 6-12 months or amphotericin B 35 mg/kg IV Immunosuppressed patients (non-AIDS) or endocarditis or CNS disease Amphotericin B >35 mg/kg x 3 months followed by fluconazole or itraconazole 200 mg orally twice daily x 12 months Life-threatening disease Amphotericin B 0.7-1 mg/kg/day IV for a total dosage of 35 mj kg over 2-4 months once the patient is afebrile, able to take oral medications, and no longer requires blood pressure or ventilatory support therapy can be changed to itraconazole 200 mg orally twice daily for 6-18 months Non-life-threatening disease Itraconazole 200-400 mg orally daily for 6-18 months fluconazole therapy 400-800 mg daily should be reserved for patients intolerant to itraconazole, and the development of resistance can lead to relapses... 

Specific antifungals (and their usual dosages) for the treatment of coccidioidomycosis include amphotericin B IV (0.5 to 1.5 mg/kg/day), ketocona-zole (400 mg orally daily), IV or oral fluconazole (usually 400 to 800 mg daily, although dosages as high as 1,200 mg/day have been utilized without complications), and itraconazole (200 to 300 mg orally twice daily as either capsules or solution). If itraconazole is used, measurement of serum concentrations may be helpful to ascertain whether oral bioavailability is adequate. 

Dosage adjustment - Consider a starting dose of 25 mg in the following patients Older than 65 years of age, hepatic impairment, severe renal impairment, and concomitant use of potent cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors (eg, erythromycin, ketoconazole, itraconazole, saquinavir). 

Concomitant mecf/caf/ons - The dosage of vardenafil may require adjustment in patients receiving certain CYP3A4 inhibitors. For ritonavir, do not exceed a single dose of 2.5 mg vardenafil in a 72-hour period. For indinavir, ketoconazole 400 mg/day, and itraconazole 400 mg/day, do not exceed a single dose of 2.5 mg vardenafil in a 24-hour period. For ketoconazole 200 mg/day, itraconazole 200 mg/day, and erythromycin, do not exceed a single dose of 5 mg vardenafil in a 24-hour period. 

HIV infection (in combination with other antiretrovirals) PO 800 mg (two 400-mg capsules) q8h. Dosage adjustments when given concomitantly Delavirdine, itraconazole, ketoconazok Reduce dose to 600 mg q8h. Efavirenz-. Increase dose to 1,000 mg q8h. Lopinavir/ritonavir Reduce dose to 600 mg twice a day. Nevirapine-. Increase dose to 1,000 mgqSh. Rifabutin-. Reduce rifabutin by lA and increase indinavir to 1,000 mg q8h. Ritonavir 100-200 mg twice a day and indinavir 800 mg twice a day or ritonavir 400 mg twice a day and indinavir 400 mg twice a day. 

Dosage with concurrent ketoconazole or itraconazole (at 400 mg/day), or indinavir. PO... 

Like fluoxetine, erythromycin and other macrolides inhibit the CYP-3A isoenzyme and increase the levels and effects of the triazolobenzodiazepines (Shader and Greenblatt, 1995 Chouinard et ah, 1999). Midazolam should be avoided or the dosage dropped by 50% in patients receiving erythromycin (Olkkola et ah, 1993). Ketoconazole and itraconazole may also interact with triazolam and midazolam, and combinations of these drugs should be avoided (Varhe et ah, 1994 Chouinard et ah, 1999). 

Fluconazole is well absorbed following oral administration, with a plasma half-life of 30 hours. In view of this long half-life, daily doses of 100 mg are sufficient to treat mucocutaneous candidiasis alternate-day doses are sufficient for dermatophyte infections. The plasma half-life of itraconazole is similar to that of fluconazole, and detectable therapeutic concentrations remain in the stratum corneum for up to 28 days following termination of therapy. Itraconazole is effective for the treatment of onychomycosis in a dosage of 200 mg daily taken with food to ensure maximum absorption for 3 consecutive months. Recent reports of heart failure in patients receiving itraconazole for onychomycosis have resulted in recommendations that it not be given for treatment of onychomycosis in patients with ventricular dysfunction. 

The effects of itraconazole 100 mg on the pharmacokinetics of lovastatin 40 mg have been studied in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study in 10 healthy volunteers (16). Itraconazole, even in this low dosage, greatly increased plasma concentrations of lovastatin and its active metabolite, lovastatin acid, and increased the Cmax of lovastatin about 15-fold and the total AUC by more than 15-fold similarly, the Cmax and total AUC of lovastatin acid were increased about 12-fold and 15-fold respectively. 

In two cases, rhabdomyolysis was caused by itraconazole in heart transplant recipients taking long-term ciclosporin and simvastatin (48,49). To avoid severe myopathy, ciclosporin concentrations should be monitored frequently and statins should be withdrawn or the dosage should be reduced, as long as azoles need to be prescribed in transplant recipients. Patients need to be educated about signs and symptoms that require immediate physician intervention. 

In a recent review, Shan and Zaworotko have discussed cocrystals having pharmaceutical interest, and presented several case studies that they used to demonstrate how one could enhance the solubility, bioavailability, and/or stability of drug substances [23]. The systems considered were the cocrystals of fluoxetine hydrochloride with carboxylic acids, itraconazole with dicarboxylic acids, sidenafil with acetylsalicylic acid, and melamine with cyanuric acid. One main conclusion advanced by the authors was that the use of cocrystal systems in pharmaceutical dosage forms was inevitable, and that the main questions were who would benefit and how drastic the influence on development would ultimately turn out to be. 

Voriconazole is the newest triazole to be licensed in the USA. It is available in intravenous and oral formulations. The recommended dosage is 400 mg/d. The drug is well absorbed orally, with a bioavailability exceeding 90%, and exhibits less protein binding than itraconazole. Metabolism is predominantly hepatic, but the propensity for inhibition of mammalian P450 appears to be low. Observed toxicities include rash, elevated hepatic enzymes, and transient visual disturbances. 

A 17-year-old man with cystic fibrosis who took itraconazole after a lung-Uver transplant had high trough concentrations of tacrolimus, despite the relatively low dosage (0.1-0.3 mg/kg/day) (113). 

A 34-year-old renal transplant recipient taking a stable regimen of tacrolimus and methylprednisolone was given itraconazole 100 mg bd for a yeast infection of the urinary tract (115). Concomitant therapy with itraconazole led to a marked increase in tacrolimus trough concentrations on the second day of therapy (from 13 to 21 ng/ml) and an increase in serum creatinine concentrations, necessitating dosage reduction of tacrolimus by 50%. 

---