Description
Diflucan
Diflucan drug effectively fights against common, rare and serious fungal infections. Diflucan has a good safety profile and is used in the treatment of adults, adolescents, children and infants.
Prescribing Information
Diflucan tablets, suspension and injectionsare capable of withstanding pathogenic fungi that have penetrated into:
- Body organs.
- Systemic blood flow.
- Brain.
- Bronchopulmonary system.
- Urethra.
Diflucan is used to treat many fungal diseases, including oral, vaginal, cutaneous, oesophageal or invasive candidiasis, valley fever, meningitis, dermatomycosis or onychomycosis.
If the patient’s immune system is weak and/or does not function properly, small doses of Diflucan can be used to prevent fungal infections.
Dosage
As a rule, Diflucan is taken once a day. To prevent certain fungal diseases (e.g., oesophageal candidiasis), it may be recommended to take this antifungal drug every third day.
The recommended daily dose of Diflucan, used in antibiotic therapy, lies in the range of 50-400 mg. When selecting the recommended dose of Diflucan for any particular patient, thigs that should be taken into account are:
- Age and weight of the patient.
- Type and severity of the infectious disease.
- Susceptibility of pathogenic fungi.
- Integrity of the patient’s host-defense mechanisms.
- Status of the internal organsfunctions.
The loading doseis used in the first day of the antifungal therapy. It exceeds the recommended daily dose by 2 times. Loading dose should not be more than 800mg. If Diflucan is taken with other medications, the daily dose may be decreased.
Interactions
Diflucan, especially in high doses, is not recommended for use with Amiodarone, Rifampicin or Hydrochlorothiazide. Combinations of these drugs can be prescribed by a doctor, yet caution should be exercised, if you take them.
Concomitant treatment with Diflucan and Astemizole, Cisapride, Erythromycin, Pimozide or Quinidine is contraindicated. Combined use of these drugs can cause serious cardiovascular side effects.
Side effects
Side effectsthat were reportedmost frequently during clinical trials and post-marketing studies of Diflucan are related to the gastrointestinal tract. These include vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Rash and headache are other frequent adverse reactions of Diflucan.
Examples of rarer undesirable effects include loss of appetite, dry mouth, cholestasis, hepatic failure, muscle pain, fatigue, drowsiness, face swelling, tremor, hypokalemia or hypercholesterolaemia.
Adverse reactions, associated with Diflucan, are mild and transient (as a rule). Some side effects may occur during the entire period of Diflucan treatment. They abate soon after the drug is discontinued.
Tips
Gastrointestinal side effectsoften manifest during the period of Diflucanuse. If they occur, you can take Diflucan immediately before or during meals. You can also find it useful to reduce the consumptionof:
- Vegetables and fruits.
- Alcohol and coffee.
- Dairy products.
- Acute and fatty foods.
Patients should take the recommended dose of Diflucan even if the antifungal effect does not occur immediately. Diflucan must be taken for as long as prescribed by your doctor, even if the symptoms of the bacterial disease have decreased or disappeared.