Drug interactions
Didanosine + Ketoconazole
Severity: Moderate
Didanosine and Ketoconazole: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
The buffering agents in didanosine chewable tablets and oral solution raise gastric pH and can reduce absorption of ketoconazole, which needs acid for dissolution. This may lead to subtherapeutic antifungal levels.
What this interaction means in plain words
Didanosine and Ketoconazole can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Didanosine belongs to Anti Virals; Ketoconazole belongs to Anti Fungals.
Why it happens
Increased gastric pH from didanosine buffers reduces ketoconazole dissolution and absorption.
What to do
Give ketoconazole at least 2 hours before buffered didanosine formulations. Monitor antifungal response.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Didanosine and Ketoconazole, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Ketoconazole
- Alfuzosin + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Alprazolam + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Avanafil + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Conivaptan + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine intranasal + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
Other interactions of Didanosine
- Didanosine + Elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir df Contraindicated
- Didanosine + Hydroxycarbamide Contraindicated
- Didanosine + Ribavirin Contraindicated
- Didanosine + Stavudine Contraindicated
- Allopurinol + Didanosine Major
- Atidarsagene autotemcel + Didanosine Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Didanosine with Ketoconazole?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Didanosine and Ketoconazole can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. The buffering agents in didanosine chewable tablets and oral solution raise gastric pH and can reduce absorption of ketoconazole, which needs acid for dissolution. This may lead to subtherapeutic antifungal levels.
How serious is the interaction between Didanosine and Ketoconazole?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Give ketoconazole at least 2 hours before buffered didanosine formulations. Monitor antifungal response.
What other medicines interact with Ketoconazole?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Ketoconazole with, for example, Alfuzosin, Alprazolam, Avanafil. The full list is on the Ketoconazole page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
