This antifungal medication drugs can applied topically or oral. The side effect more common cause topical is allergic reactions. Oral intake can also cause side effect like nausea, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. More severe oral antifungal intake side effect is renal, hepatic or heart failure.
One of the medication more use to treat fungal skin infection is ketoconazole or nizoral. Prescription ketoconazole comes as a cream and a shampoo to apply to the skin. Over the counter ketoconazole comes as a shampoo to apply to the scalp. Ketoconazole cream is usually applied once a day for 2-6 weeks. Prescription ketoconazole shampoo is usually applied one time to treat the infection. Over-the-counter ketoconazole shampoo is usually used every 3-4 days for up to 8 weeks, and then used as needed to control dandruff.
Ketoconazole is used to treat dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis condition that causes flaking of the skin. Ketoconazole cream is sometimes used to treat tinea manuum, fungal infection of the skin on the hands. Ketoconazole cream is also sometimes used with other medications to treat skin conditions that are often worsened by fungal infection such as diaper rash, eczema, skin irritation caused by allergies, impetigo (blisters caused by a bacterial infection), and psoriasis.
Side effect cause by topical antifungal drugs is redness at the place where you applied, some side effects can be more serious like severe itching, blistering, swelling, changes in hair texture, blisters on scalp, dry skin or oozing at the place where you applied the medication also can produce discoloration or change in the skin.
Also keep this medication in the container it came, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store in at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture. Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed to reduce side effect.
While they are extremely effective for reducing inflammation, they also have numerous potential side effects.
These include osteoporosis, cataracts, thinning of the skin, an increased tendency for the development of peptic ulcer disease, suppression of the adrenal glands, depression and mood changes, osteonecrosis (dead bone), inflammation of the pancreas, moon face, weight gain, diabetes, striae (striped discoloration of the skin), and so on.
A recent study has demonstrated another potentially lethal side effect. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)appear to contribute to a marked increase in risk of serious infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Corticosteroids, usually in the form of prednisone, are often prescribed along with methotrexate in the treatment of active RA.
To assess the risk, researchers conducted a case-control study looking at a total of 23, 733 patients with RA. All patients had received at least one DMARD, including biologic agents although the use of biologics started in 2002 and the patients evaluated were studied from 1980 to 2003. The patients were compared to controls.
The investigators determined that patients who received either cyclophosphamide (a very potent DMARD which is not commonly used anymore) or corticosteroids had a substantial risk of infection compared with controls.
When the period of time when anti-TNF drugs were used, there also was a signal that anti-TNF drug use was also associated with an increased rate of infection.
The authors concluded that careful attention to risk of infection is needed now more than ever because of the use of new emerging therapies. It is still unclear whether combinations of drugs that include corticosteroids will increase the risk of infection even more. (Bernatsky S,et al. Rheumatology. 2007; 46:1157-60).
It is important that a patient with RA who is taking corticosteroids be aware of this potentially dangerous problem.
Both Jose Santiago & Nathan Wei are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Nathan Wei has sinced written about articles on various topics from Arthritis Pain, Health and Arthritis Signs. Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a rheumatologist and Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland.For more info:. Nathan Wei's top article generates over 550000 views. to your Favourites.