Spectazole
Generic name:
Pharmacist-reviewed drug information from the RxWiki encyclopedia.
Overview
Econazole is a prescription medication used to treat fungal skin infections.
Econazole belongs to a group of drugs called azole antifungal agents. These work by killing the fungi that cause infections of the skin.
This medication comes in topical forms and is applied to the affected area once or twice daily.
Common side effects of econazole include itching, burning, stinging, or redness at the site of application.
What is it used for?
Econazole is a prescription medication used to treat fungal skin infections such as athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
How to take it
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.
The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:
the condition being treated
The recommended dose of econazole for the treatment of athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm is application of the topical cream to the affected area once daily. The recommended dose of econazole for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin is application of the topical cream to the affected area twice daily.
Econazole topical foam is approved for the treatment of interdigital athlete’s foot and is applied once daily to the affected area.
Warnings
Serious side effects have been reported with econazole including the following:
Irritation at the application site. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of skin irritation:
- Itching
- Burning
- Stinging
- Redness
- Rash
Do not take econazole if you:
- are allergic to econazole or to any of its ingredients
Side effects
Serious side effects have been reported with econazole. See the “Econazole Precautions” section.
Common side effects of econazole include itching, burning, stinging, or redness at the site of application.
This is not a complete list of econazole side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Drug interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
No drug interactions have been identified by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.
Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.
Econazole falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.
Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
It is not known if econazole crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using econazole.
Quick facts
- Even if you feel better or your symptoms improve, do not stop using econazole earlier than prescribed.
All information on this site is provided “as-is” for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. You should consult with a medical professional if you have any questions about your health.