Fungal Infections? Is Voriconazole the Drug For You?

Our life is ruled by the millions of microorganisms living around us. Microorganisms are present everywhere, on our skin, in the air, on surfaces, and almost anywhere you can think of. Most of these microorganisms are harmless. In fact, some of them are necessary for our livelihood. Having said that, there are some not-so-friendly microorganisms, like some pathogenic fungi which can invade human tissues and cause diseases. These fungi can cause some surface infections on the skin and can also cause invasive infections targeting different organs in the body.

What are fungi? Fungi belong to the Eukaryotic family of organisms, commonly known as mushrooms. Some fungi are often used in delicacies whereas, fungi like Aspergillus, and Candida yeast, can cause life-threatening disorders. Internal fungal infection is caused majorly due to a weakened immune system. Aspergillosis is a serious respiratory disease caused by Aspergillus a type of fungus that results in lung infections and asthma symptoms. Aspergillus spores are found almost anywhere, floating in the air, and can be inhaled. In most cases, they do not cause any problems, but people who have low immunity tend to develop an infection that can spread from the lungs to the bloodstream. Doctors often prescribe antifungal medicines like Voriconazole for treatment.

Understanding Voriconazole

Voriconazole is an antifungal medication that belongs to the class triazoles. It is beneficial to treat infections caused by yeast and other fungi. It works by prohibiting the growth of fungi by stopping the important step of cell membrane ergosterol synthesis. That helps to decrease the harmful fungi in the body.

Voriconazole is beneficial in the treatment of the following:
•    Serious fungal infections
•    Candidemia (fungal infection in the blood)
•    Esophageal candidiasis (candida esophagitis)
•    Other fungal infections (in form of wounds, infections of the skin, in the stomach, your bladder or your kidney)

Precautions Before taking Voriconazole

Medicines need to be taken with caution and analyze the risks and benefits. Before taking Voriconazole, inform your doctor about your medical history, especially your personal or family history of porphyria, cardiac disorder, liver disease, kidney disorder, or, skin issues.
Discuss your allergies with your doctor.
Let your doctor know if you have digestion problems with sugar or dairy products.
Let the doctor know if you are family planning or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Some drugs affect the working of Voriconazole or might cause severe side effects. Let your doctor know of all the medicines you take, even over-the-counter drugs and herbal preparations.
Voriconazole makes you sensitive to the sun, so it is best to avoid harsh sunlight and tanning beds.

How to take Voriconazole and the dosage

Voriconazole can be taken orally or intravenously.

For the oral medicine, in the initial 24 hours, the loading dose should be 400 mg every 12 hours (adults 40 kg and above) for maintenance dose after the first 24 hours,  200 mg twice daily

For intravenous, the dose is 6 mg/kg every 12 hours in the loading phase and 4 mg/kg twice daily in the maintenance phase.

Consult your doctor before stopping the drug

Never alter the dosage without your doctor’s consultation In case you miss any dose, it is advised to take it as soon as possible but avoid double doses.

How is Voriconazole available?

Voriconazole is available in tablet form and powder for suspension (for injection) form. It is sold only as a prescription medicine. Some brands of Voriconazole are listed below.

•    Voritek (200mg)
•    Vosicaz (200mg)
•    Fungixit- V 200 TABLET
•    Vorise 50 TABLET
•    Voriva 200 mg
•    Vonaz (200mg)
•    Voritek (50mg)
•    Vorise 200 TABLET
•    Fungixit -V 50 TABLET

The adverse effects of Voriconazole

All drugs cause a few side effects along with the necessary benefits they give. Doctors always weigh the benefits and the risk factors before prescribing any medicine. Some common side effects that Voriconazole may cause are mild and require no specific medical attention. You can discuss your side effects with your doctor in your appointments. Some allergic reactions may include swelling up of body parts, hives or rashes, and sometimes fever and rash. It is best to call your doctor if you feel you are having an allergic reaction.

The common side effects are listed below

•    Black, tarry stools
•    Blistering, peeling, loosening of the skin
•    Chest pain
•    Chills
•    Cough
•    Difficulty seeing at night
•    Amplified sensitivity to sunlight especially of the eyes 
•    Itching, rash
•    Joint or muscle pain
•    Painful or difficult urination
•    Red irritated eyes
•    Red skin lesions
•    Ulcers and sores, patches of white colouring on the lips or in the mouth

Some severe side effects may include the following

•    Swollen glands
•    Trouble breathing
•    Unusual bleeding or bruising
•    Unusual tiredness or weakness
•    Vision changes
•    Sunburn
•    Dizziness and numbness
•    Irregular heartbeats
•    A feeling of choking

If you feel uneasy or experience some severe side effects seek your doctor and get medical help immediately.

Is Voriconazole the drug for you?

Drugs are given to treat the problem and make you feel better. With so many different drugs and numerous brands of the same medicine; the question is how to know which drug will be the most effective drug for you. The MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic test can help you to provide the best answer. This test studies your genes and predicts your response to specific drugs. Each individual has a unique set of genes and these genes decide the impact of medicines on your body. With MEDNAwise, your doctor knows the exact medicine for you. A medicine that will be most effective, give good results, and also have minimum side effects. It helps you start the treatment soon and delay the onset or stop the disease from manifesting.  MEDNAwise test prevents any kind of waiting time to check for efficacy or adverse drug reaction. You can know your body’s response to 70+ drugs across varied medical specialties. MEDNAwise is a one-time test, that needed to be done only once and you can use its findings for all your future medical treatments. A simple saliva swab test, it can be taken from anywhere. The results are out soon and in detail. Post results, the counsellors at Indus Health Plus help you understand the results and guide you with further steps.

Precision medicine and personalized treatments are the future! 

MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic testing provides the doctor with vital information like efficacy, dosage, and adverse reactions. The doctor can decide the most appropriate mode of treatment to get better and quicker results. MEDNAwise test is the best test to grant you peace of mind. You would already know your best options when any medical emergency arises.

Make health a priority, get the MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic test for yourself and your loved ones today! Call Indus Health Plus today, to book your test.