Cresemba Oral

Brand name:

Cresemba.

Oral isavuconazonium is an Azole antifungal that is used in the treatment of invasive Aspergillosis and invasive Mucormycosis. It is indicated for individuals 18 years of age and older. It gets rid of the infection by killing the fungi and preventing growth.

This medication is not an over-the-counter drug, which means you need a doctor’s prescription to get this.

For oral intake, Isavuconazonium is sold in tablet form.

Prior to initiating treatment with oral isavuconazonium, the pros and cons should be discussed with your physician. He/She may need to run some tests before putting you on this medication. If you have had allergic reactions to antifungal medications or drugs similar to Isavuconazonium, inform your physician.

You also need to tell your healthcare team about allergies to food, dyes, preservatives, and/or animals.

There isn’t enough evidence to show that Isavuconazonium is safe and effective for people below 18 years old.

However, it has been found to work well for geriatric patients even those above 65 years old.

Oral Isavuconazonium is a category C for all trimesters. This means that not enough research has been done on pregnant women to establish its safety and efficacy. It has been found, however, that Isavuconazonium is excreted in breast milk. It should only be used if the benefits are greater than the risks involved. Consult your physician about this.

Using certain medications while taking Isavuconazonium can cause adverse reactions. Some drugs that shouldn’t be taken concomitantly with Isavuconazonium include Ketoconazole, Ritonavir, Rifampin, Carbamazepine, St. John’s wort, and long-acting barbiturates. These medications can influence the plasma level of Isavuconazonium.

Co-administration of Atorvastatin, Cyclosporine, Digoxin, Lopinavir, Midazolam, Quinidine, Sirolimus and Tacrolimus is normally not recommended but can be necessary in special cases.

Bupropion can cause untoward side effects if used together with Isavuconazonium. You should avoid grapefruit juice while on this medicine. It is contraindicated in patients with heart rhythm problems such as familial short QT syndrome.

Use Isavuconazonium with caution in patients with or at risk of liver disease.

Follow your physician’s orders and take Isavuconazonium for the whole duration of treatment even if you feel better. It is not advisable to stop taking this medication before completing the course because even though the symptoms may have abated, the pathogen may still be alive and can become drug resistant. Got to your scheduled checkups so that your doctor can make sure that Isavuconazonium is working. He/she can also help you prevent or decrease side effects. Also, swallow tablet whole without crushing, chewing, or breaking it.

Dosage and timing may differ for patients. It is imperative that you take the prescribed dosage and follow the schedule. The usual dosage for adults is 372 mg/8 hours for 6 doses (loading dose) and 372 mg per day (maintenance dose). If you forgot a dose, take immediately. However, skip it if the next timing is near.

Keep this medication in a closed container at room temperature and keep it away from children.

Throw away outdated medications.

When you are taking Isavuconazonium, your progress needs to be monitored regularly. Therefore, it is important that you keep your appointments with your physician, who can also teach you how to prevent untoward side effects. Laboratory exams are also necessary to find out if the fungi causing your disease are gone.

As mentioned earlier, Isavuconazonium’s safety and efficacy have not been established in pregnant women. So it is generally recommended that you should avoid getting pregnant while on treatment. Use effective birth control methods. Notify your doctor if you think you’ve become pregnant while taking Isavuconazonium.

There are several signs and symptoms you need to watch out for. Inform your doctor if you start to feel signs of liver disease or dysfunction. These include:

• upper stomach pain, pale stools, dark urine, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, or jaundice of the eye or skin

You need to be wary of allergic reactions as well. This can be signalled by:

• itching, breathing difficulty, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your face, mouth or limbs

Skin reactions like:

• blistering, red skin lesions, severe acne, skin sores, or fever can also plague you.

Call your physician if you experience any of these.

Avoid taking OTC medications without consulting your doctor first.

Aside from the signs and symptoms mentioned previously, you also need to look out for side effects. Side effects can be mild, moderate or severe. Call your physician if your symptoms do not improve or get worse.

Common signs that need medical attention include:

• swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
• hematuria, blurred vision, chest pain, decreased frequency or amount of urine
• lightheadedness
• irregular heart rate
• lower back pain
• muscle cramps/spasms
• chest tightness
• trembling
• and weakness

Side effects that don’t need treatment include:

• sour stomach, anxiety, headache, indigestion, trouble sleeping, and restlessness

Inform your healthcare team if you experience signs and symptoms that were not mentioned.