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Safety of posaconazole
Pauline L Jacinto1, Pranatharthi Chandrasekar
1Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Detroit, USA. pjacinto@med.wayne.edu
Introduction:
The increasing number of invasive fungal infections (IFI) among immunocompromised hosts is a significant clinical issue. Diagnosis of IFI, choosing among the available antifungal drugs, and the high morbidity/mortality associated with IFI pose clinical challenges for healthcare providers. Besides efficacy, a thorough knowledge of the pharmacokinetics, drug-drug interactions and safety profile of the antifungal drugs is critical for appropriate drug selection. Among the commonly used triazoles, the recently released posaconazole is relatively less well investigated in terms of its safety. With expanding clinical use of posaconazole, the present review examines the safety of the drug and its propensity for drug-drug interaction.
Areas Covered:
This paper mainly discusses the safety profile of posaconazole, its adverse effects and drug-drug interaction.
Expert Opinion:
Posaconazole is generally safe and well tolerated. Lack of an intravenous formulation and unpredictable bioavailability of the suspension form are significant factors limiting the widespread use of posaconazole.
Insights
Posaconazole is generally safe for treating invasive fungal infections. However, its limited intravenous formulation and variable oral absorption hinder widespread clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Invasive fungal infections (IFI) pose significant challenges in immunocompromised patients.
- Appropriate antifungal drug selection requires knowledge of pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, and safety profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the safety profile of posaconazole.
- To examine posaconazole's potential for drug-drug interactions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on posaconazole's safety and drug interactions.
- Analysis of adverse effects and pharmacokinetic data.
Main Results:
- Posaconazole demonstrates a generally favorable safety profile and is well-tolerated.
- Drug-drug interactions associated with posaconazole require careful consideration.
Conclusions:
- Posaconazole is considered safe and well-tolerated for managing IFIs.
- The lack of an intravenous formulation and variable oral bioavailability of the suspension limit its broader clinical application.
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