Drug interactions
Ibuprofen / famotidine + Ketoconazole
Severity: Moderate
Ibuprofen / famotidine 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
Famotidine raises gastric pH, which reduces dissolution and absorption of oral ketoconazole. This can lead to subtherapeutic antifungal exposure and treatment failure.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ibuprofen / famotidine 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.
Why it happens
Ketoconazole needs an acidic gastric environment to dissolve, and the famotidine-induced rise in pH reduces its absorption.
What to do
Where possible avoid acid suppression, or give ketoconazole with an acidic beverage and at least 2 hours before the acid reducer. Consider a different antifungal if acid suppression is required long term.
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?
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Other interactions of Ketoconazole
- Alfuzosin + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Alprazolam + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Avanafil + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Conivaptan + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine intranasal + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine + Ketoconazole Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ibuprofen / famotidine with Ketoconazole?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Ibuprofen / famotidine 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. Famotidine raises gastric pH, which reduces dissolution and absorption of oral ketoconazole. This can lead to subtherapeutic antifungal exposure and treatment failure.
How serious is the interaction between Ibuprofen / famotidine 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: Where possible avoid acid suppression, or give ketoconazole with an acidic beverage and at least 2 hours before the acid reducer. Consider a different antifungal if acid suppression is required long term.
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.
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