RIYADH, 15 September — The Saudi Society of Dermatology and Venereology has cautioned physicians against prescribing Itraconazole medicine (commercial name Sporanox) to patients, saying that the antifungal medicine may cause complications during the course of administration or post-administration period.
“We would like to inform all SSDV members to take precaution when prescribing Itraconazole because it has caused complications,” said an advisory released by Dr. Omar ibn Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, SSDV president, here.
He said caution should be taken when prescribing this medicine to patients who suffer from congestive heart failure and those receiving calcium or channel blocker medicine.
Dr. Al-Sheikh advised to take necessary measures to avoid complications, saying that the manufacturing company of Sporanox, itself, has released this important safety information. The US-based Janssen Phamaceutica Products, L.P .are the manufacturers.
Saudi Arabia imports 85 percent of its total medicine needs and nearly 80 percent of the total GCC’s bulk purchase of medicine is consumed by the Kingdom.
Referring to the adverse effects of Sporanox, the local physicians, while quoting the US Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Reporting System, said that the use of Itraconazole is associated with congestive heart failure.
