Drug interactions
Fluconazole + Pentamidine
Severity: Major
Fluconazole and Pentamidine: major 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
Both drugs can prolong the QT interval, and pentamidine has been linked to torsades de pointes. Together they raise the risk of serious ventricular arrhythmia, especially with electrolyte disturbances or other risk factors.
What this interaction means in plain words
Fluconazole and Pentamidine can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for.
Fluconazole belongs to Anti Fungals; Pentamidine belongs to Anti Parasitic.
Why it happens
Additive prolongation of cardiac repolarization (QT interval).
What to do
Avoid the combination if an alternative exists. If it is unavoidable, check a baseline ECG, correct potassium and magnesium, and monitor the ECG during treatment.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Does the benefit of taking both outweigh the risk in my case?
- Do I need any blood test, ECG or other check while on both?
- What early warning signs should I watch for, and what should I do if they appear?
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Other interactions of Fluconazole
- Dihydroergotamine intranasal + Fluconazole Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine + Fluconazole Contraindicated
- Dofetilide + Fluconazole Contraindicated
- Domperidone + Fluconazole Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Fluconazole Contraindicated
- Erythromycin + Fluconazole Contraindicated
Other interactions of Pentamidine
- Clomipramine + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Moxifloxacin + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Nortriptyline + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Pentamidine + Pimozide Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Fluconazole with Pentamidine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Fluconazole and Pentamidine can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for. Both drugs can prolong the QT interval, and pentamidine has been linked to torsades de pointes. Together they raise the risk of serious ventricular arrhythmia, especially with electrolyte disturbances or other risk factors.
How serious is the interaction between Fluconazole and Pentamidine?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination if an alternative exists. If it is unavoidable, check a baseline ECG, correct potassium and magnesium, and monitor the ECG during treatment.
What other medicines interact with Fluconazole?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Fluconazole with, for example, Dihydroergotamine intranasal, Dihydroergotamine, Dofetilide. The full list is on the Fluconazole page.
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