amphotericin B vs cidofovir
Side-by-side comparison of amphotericin B and cidofovir. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
Nephrotoxic agents Concomitant administration of cidofovir injection and agents with nephrotoxic potential [e.g., intravenous aminoglycosides (e.g., tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin), amphotericin B, foscarnet, intravenous pentamidine, vancomycin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents] is contraindicated.
Recommendation: This drug combination should be avoided. Your doctor will need to use a different medicine that is safer for your kidneys.
Ambisome, Fungizone
Vistide
Amphotericin B liposome is an antifungal medicine. It fights serious fungal infections in your body.
Cidofovir injection is an antiviral medicine. It is used to treat CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with AIDS.
This medicine treats fungal infections like aspergillosis, candidiasis, and cryptococcosis. It can also treat cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV. It may also be used for visceral leishmaniasis, but this infection can return, especially in those with weak immune systems.
Cidofovir treats CMV retinitis in people who have AIDS. CMV retinitis is an infection in the eye that can cause vision problems. This medicine has not been proven to work for other CMV infections or in people without HIV.
Amphotericin B liposome belongs to a class of drugs called polyene antifungals. It works by binding to the membrane of the fungal cells. This binding disrupts the fungal cell membrane, causing the cell to die.
Cidofovir stops the CMV virus from making copies of itself. It does this by blocking a key enzyme the virus needs to reproduce its DNA. This helps to reduce the amount of virus in your body.
- • Abdominal pain
- • Weakness
- • Back pain
- • Chills
- • Pain
- • Kidney problems
- • Lowered white blood cell count
- • Decreased eye pressure
- • Inflammation inside the eye
- Fever 974
- Condition got worse 842
- Fever with low white blood cell count 650
- Sudden kidney damage 625
- Blood infection 612
No adverse event reports.
This medicine is not interchangeable with other amphotericin B products. Different versions of amphotericin B act differently in the body. Make sure you always get the correct medicine.
Cidofovir can cause serious kidney damage, possibly leading to death. To reduce this risk, you must receive IV fluids and take probenecid pills with each dose. Your kidney function and white blood cell counts will be checked regularly. This drug can also cause birth defects and cancer, based on animal studies. It is only for treating CMV retinitis in AIDS patients.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Cidofovir may cause harm to an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if cidofovir passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This amphotericin B vs cidofovir Comparison
amphotericin B is classified in the Polyene Antifungal drug class, while cidofovir sits within the Antiviral (Nucleotide Analog) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amphotericin B has 3,703 submissions while cidofovir has 0. 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 major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs can cause damage to the kidneys. combining them makes kidney injury much more likely.. 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 amphotericin B and cidofovir - 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.