Ketoconazole Side Effects

ADVERSE REACTIONS Clinical Trials Experience In 11 double-blind trials in 264 patients using ketoconazole shampoo, 2% for the treatment of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, an increase in normal hair loss and irritation occurred in less than 1% of patients.

In three open label safety trials in which 41 patients shampooed 4-10 times weekly for six months, the following adverse experiences each occurred once: abnormal hair texture, scalp pustules, mild dryness of the skin, and itching.

As with other shampoos, oiliness and dryness of hair and scalp have been reported.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which patients with tinea versicolor were treated with either a single application of ketoconazole shampoo, 2% (n=106), a daily application for three consecutive days (n=107), or placebo (n=105), drug-related adverse events occurred in 5 (5%), 7 (7%) and 4 (4%) of patients, respectively.

The only events that occurred in more than one patient in any one of the three treatment groups were pruritus, application site reaction, and dry skin;

none of these events occurred in more than 3% of the patients in any one of the three groups.

Post-marketing Experience Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to reliably estimate their frequency.

The following adverse drug reactions have been identified during post-marketing experience with ketoconazole shampoo: there have been reports of hair discoloration and abnormal hair texture, itching, skin burning sensation, contact dermatitis, hypersensitivity, angioedema, alopecia, rash, urticaria, skin irritation, dry skin, and application site reactions.