Alcohol should be used with moderation while taking ketoconazole. Alcohol and ketoconazole can both affect the liver. Rarely, flushing, nausea, vomiting, headache, swelling, and rashes have occurred when alcohol has been used during ketoconazole therapy.
Use caution when driving or performing other hazardous activities. Ketoconazole may cause dizziness. If you experience dizziness, avoid these activities.
Do not take ketoconazole if you are taking any of the following drugs:
* astemizole (Hismanal),
* cisapride (Propulsid), or
* triazolam (Halcion) or midazolam (Versed).
Dangerous or life-threatening events may occur if ketoconazole is taken with any of the medicines listed above.
Before taking ketoconazole, tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:
* cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
* tacrolimus ((Prograf);
* methylprednisolone (Medrol, others);
* antacids;
* cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB), nizatidine (Axid, Axid AR), famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC), or ranitidine (Zantac, Zantac 75);
* omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), or rabeprazole (Aciphex);
* digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
* warfarin (Coumadin);
* phenytoin (Dilantin, others);
* rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); or
* an oral diabetes medicine such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase, Glynase), tolbutamide (Orinase), tolazamide (Tolinase), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), and others.
You may not be able to take ketoconazole, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with ketoconazole or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.
