What is this medication for?

Voriconazole is an anti-fungal medication which works by interfering with the growth of fungi. It is used to treat fungal infection and may also be used to prevent fungal infection in patients after transplant or in patients with weak immunity.

How should I take/use this medication?

• Voriconazole tablet should be taken on an empty stomach at least one hour before meal, or one hour after meal. Swallow the tablet whole with water.

• Do not stop taking your medication unless instructed by your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor, pharmacist).

What should I do if I forget to take/use this medication?

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.

What precautions should I take?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.

• You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

  • Voriconazole may cause harm to an unborn child. Effective contraceptives must be used in women of child bearing potential.

  • It is not known if voriconazole is excreted into breast milk. Due to possible risks to the baby, please discuss with your doctor if you intend to breastfeed.

• You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies, as there may be a possibility of drug interactions.

What are some common side-effects of this medication?

• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea

  • Increase fluids and electrolytes intake as tolerated (unless you have specific fluid restriction instructed by your doctor).

• Headache and muscle pain

  • You may take painkillers e.g. paracetamol (Panadol) if the pain is mild.

• Visual disturbances e.g. blurred vision, changes to colour perception, intolerance to light. This is reversible and is usually transiently associated with higher levels of the medication.

  • Avoid driving or operating machinery.

• Difficulty in sleeping, confusion and hallucination e.g. seeing and/or hearing things that are not present, abnormal dreams.

• Heart rhythm problems e.g. very fast heartbeat, very slow heartbeat, dizziness, fainting.

If you experience any of these symptoms, or if the symptoms persist or get worse, please inform your doctor.

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue

• Difficulty in breathing

• Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

Some of these serious side effects include:

• Liver problems: signs include dark urine, light-coloured stools, yellowing of the whites of your eyes or skin (jaundice). Severe nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite may also be experienced in severe liver problems.

• Pancreas problems: signs include severe abdominal pain or back pain, severe nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.

What food or medication should I avoid when I take this medication?

Voriconazole can have interaction when taken with other medications. These include:

• Blood thinners (e.g. warfarin)

• Tuberculosis medications (e.g. rifampicin, rifabutin)

• Anti-virals to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (e.g. efavirenz, nevirapine, atazanavir, ritonavir)

• Seizures medications (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine)

• Immunosuppressants (e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus)

• Cholesterol lowering medications (e.g. simvastatin, atorvastatin, lovastatin)

• Gastric medications (e.g. omeprazole)

• Chemotherapy agents (e.g. vinca alkaloids)

• Migraine medications (e.g. ergotamine)

• Herbal medicine (e.g. St John’s wort)

However, this list of medications is non-exhaustive. Hence, please inform your doctor/pharmacist of all medications including over-the counter (OTC) medications that you are taking prior to starting Voriconazole and any new medications while on Voriconazole treatment.

How should I store this medication?

Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.

How should I throw away this medication safely?

Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.

Disclaimers

If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.

This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

Last updated in Jul 2021