fluconazole vs voriconazole
Side-by-side comparison of fluconazole and voriconazole 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
Voriconazole : Voriconazole is a substrate for both CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 isoenzymes. Concurrent administration of oral Voriconazole (400 mg Q12h for 1 day, then 200 mg Q12h for 2.5 days) and oral fluconazole (400 mg on Day 1, then 200 mg Q24h for 4 days) to 6 healthy male subjects resulted in an increase in C max and AUC τ of voriconazole by an average of 57% (90% CI: 20% to 107%) and 79% (90% CI: 40% to 128%), respectively. In a follow-on clinical study involving 8 healthy male subjects, reduced dosing and/or frequency of voriconazole and fluconazole did not eliminate or diminish this effect.
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor you closely for side effects and may need to change your dose.
Diflucan
Vfend
Fluconazole is an antifungal medicine. It is used to treat infections caused by fungus.
Voriconazole (Vfend) is an antifungal medicine. It is used to treat serious fungal infections in adults and children 2 years and older.
Fluconazole treats vaginal yeast infections. It also treats yeast infections in the mouth and esophagus. Fluconazole can also treat urinary tract infections, peritonitis, systemic Candida infections, and pneumonia. It can also treat cryptococcal meningitis. Fluconazole can also prevent candidiasis in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.
This medicine treats several types of fungal infections. It is used for invasive aspergillosis, a lung infection. It also treats candidemia (a blood infection) and other Candida infections in the skin, abdomen, kidney, bladder, and wounds. Voriconazole can also treat esophageal candidiasis (a throat infection) and serious infections caused by Scedosporium and Fusarium fungi.
Fluconazole works by stopping the growth of fungi. It blocks the fungus from producing a substance it needs to grow. This helps to clear up the infection.
Voriconazole belongs to a class of drugs called azole antifungals. It works by stopping the growth of fungi. It does this by interfering with the production of the fungal cell membrane.
- • Headache
- • Nausea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Visual disturbances
- • Fever
- • Nausea
- • Rash
- • Vomiting
- Medicine not working 4,932
- Using medicine for unapproved purpose 4,329
- Fever 4,121
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,695
- Loose stools 3,536
- The medicine is not working 4,098
- Using the medicine for a condition it is not approved for 2,342
- The medicine is interacting with another medicine 2,315
- Death 1,460
- Fever 1,411
Coadministration of other drugs known to prolong the QT interval and which are metabolized via the enzyme CYP3A4 such as erythromycin, pimozide, and quinidine are contraindicated in patients receiving fluconazole.
Voriconazole can cause serious liver problems. Your doctor will check your liver function with blood tests before and during treatment. This medicine can also cause heart rhythm problems. Make sure your potassium, magnesium, and calcium levels are normal before starting. Voriconazole can also cause severe skin reactions and make you sensitive to sunlight. Avoid sunlight and wear protective clothing. This medicine can harm an unborn baby, so women who can get pregnant should use effective birth control.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Fluconazole may not be safe for your baby. Talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking fluconazole.
Voriconazole can cause harm to an unborn baby. If you are pregnant or could become pregnant, talk to your doctor. It is not known if voriconazole passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
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How to Read This fluconazole vs voriconazole Comparison
fluconazole is classified in the Azole Antifungal drug class, while voriconazole sits within the Azole Antifungal class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. 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, fluconazole has 20,613 submissions while voriconazole has 11,626. 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 fluconazole stops the body from processing voriconazole correctly. this causes the amount of voriconazole in your system to rise significantly.. 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 fluconazole and voriconazole — 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.