This article is from the WebMD News Archive
Weekly Drug Reduces Vaginal Yeast Infections
Dec. 9, 2004 -- A weekly dose of an antifungal medication can tame recurrent vaginal yeast infections, according to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The vaginal yeast infection called vulvovaginal candidasis isn't life threatening, but it can be an uncomfortable, even painful, nuisance that women would rather not talk about. Recurrent vaginal candida infections strike about 5% to 8% of women. The condition is not sexually transmitted, and the majority of patients have no recognizable risk factors.
Finding a safe and effective therapy to keep symptoms at bay has proved challenging. Nearly 20 years ago, doctors prescribed daily doses of the antifungal ketoconazole for prevention of recurrent vaginal yeast infections. Although effective, ketoconazole can cause serious side effects, including jaundice. Weekly doses of Diflucan, a newer antifungal, appear to be well tolerated and effective in preventing recurrent vaginal yeast infections.
For the new study, Jack Sobel, MD, a professor of internal medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of weekly oral Diflucan therapy in women with a history of recurrent vaginal yeast infections.
The researchers assigned 387 women to receive either Diflucan or a placebo weekly for six months. The treatment was followed by six months of observation without therapy.
Ninety percent of the patients who received Diflucan remained free of yeast infections during the first six-month period, compared with about 36% of those who took a placebo.
Nine months after the start of the study 73% of the women who took Diflucan remained free of yeast infections, compared with about 28% of the women not taking the antifungal.
At one year, about twice as many women taking Diflucan were still free of infection compared with those on the placebo.
"Long-term weekly treatment with [Diflucan] can reduce the rate of recurrence of symptomatic vulvovaginal candidasis. However a long-term cure remains difficult to achieve," the researchers write in the journal.
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Important Safety Information
- KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.
- Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.
- The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.
Uses of KAPIDEX
- Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4–8 weeks.
Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
KAPIDEX™ is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., and is used under license by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
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Ob-Gyn Laura Corio explains why women should not try to diagnose their own yeast infection.
