Comparison of benefit against risk of ketoconazole therapy
Seebacher, C.
Therapia Hungarica 34(4): 227-232
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0133-3909 PMID: 2966995 Document Number: 275862
On the basis of the side effects of a new oral broad-spectrum antimycotic, ketoconazole, revealed until present, a critical analysis of the indications of this drug has been given. By comparing benefit against risk the possibility of severe liver damage occurring very rarely during ketoconazole treatment has to be considered. This condition requires the continuous control of alaninaminotransferase (ALAT) and aspartataminotransferase (ASAT) as well as alkalic phosphatase (AP) values at about 4-week intervals during long-term treatment. Following the use of higher daily doses than 200 mg ketoconazole in very rare cases decrease of libido and gynaecomastia may occur due to the influence of the drug on testosterone level. In the treatment of dermatophyte infections ketoconazole should be regarded as antimycotic of second choice in cases unresponsive to Gricin and in candidoses unresponsive to local treatment as the drug of choice. The results of treatment of 12 patients, among them 11 had suffered from therapy-resistant onychomycosis of one year history, have been reported on. Ten patients, out of them 4 with candidosis unguium, recovered after 6-12-month treatment with Nizoral-Gedeon Richter, in two cases only improvement could be obtained. Notable unwanted effcts were not registered.