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abiraterone vs ketoconazole

Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and ketoconazole. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

In a dedicated drug interaction trial, co-administration of ketoconazole, a strong inhibitor of CYP3A4, had no clinically meaningful effect on the pharmacokinetics of abiraterone [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )].

Recommendation: You can take these medications together without any special changes to your treatment.

Drug Class
abiraterone CYP17 Inhibitor
ketoconazole Azole Antifungal
Type
abiraterone Prescription
ketoconazole Over-the-Counter
Summary
abiraterone

Abiraterone (Zytiga) is a medicine used with prednisone to treat prostate cancer that has spread. It works by lowering the amount of androgen your body makes.

ketoconazole

Ketoconazole shampoo is an antifungal medicine. It treats a fungal infection on your skin.

What It Treats
abiraterone

Abiraterone is used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is for cancers that are castration-resistant, meaning they no longer respond to hormone therapy alone. It is also used for high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. You will take this medicine with prednisone.

ketoconazole

This shampoo treats tinea versicolor, a fungal infection. This infection can cause patches on your skin that are lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. These patches may appear on your trunk, neck, arms, and upper thighs.

How It Works
abiraterone

Abiraterone blocks an enzyme called CYP17, which your body needs to make androgens. Androgens can help prostate cancer grow. By blocking this enzyme, abiraterone lowers androgen levels and slows cancer growth.

ketoconazole

Ketoconazole is an antifungal medicine. It works by stopping the growth of the fungus. This helps to clear up the infection.

Common Side Effects
abiraterone
  • Feeling tired
  • Joint pain
  • High blood pressure
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Swelling
ketoconazole

No common side effects listed.

FAERS Reports
abiraterone
  • Death 1,390
  • Feeling tired 1,022
  • Hot flash 678
  • Weakness 562
  • Worsening of disease 561
ketoconazole
  • Feeling tired 929
  • Itching 902
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 834
  • Skin breakout 802
  • Loose stool 760
Serious Warnings
abiraterone

Abiraterone can cause problems with mineralocorticoid excess, like high blood pressure, low potassium, and fluid retention. If you have heart problems, your doctor will monitor you closely. This medicine can also cause liver problems, which can be severe. Your doctor will check your liver function regularly. Do not take abiraterone with radium Ra 223 dichloride. Abiraterone can harm an unborn baby, so men should use effective birth control if their partner can get pregnant.

ketoconazole

You should not use this shampoo if you are allergic to ketoconazole or any of the other ingredients.

Pregnancy
abiraterone

Abiraterone can cause harm to an unborn baby. Men who are taking abiraterone should use effective birth control during treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose if their partner is able to get pregnant. It is not known if abiraterone passes into breast milk.

ketoconazole

It is not known if ketoconazole shampoo can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This abiraterone vs ketoconazole Comparison

abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while ketoconazole sits within the Azole Antifungal class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, abiraterone has 4,213 submissions while ketoconazole has 4,227. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to ketoconazole does not change how your body processes abiraterone. there is no significant interaction between these two drugs.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between abiraterone and ketoconazole - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.