Is it ok to take ketoconazole and ranitidine together?
Ketoconazole is an antifungal used to treat various types of fungal infections. It is available in both pills and topical preparations.
Ranitidine (and the brand name Zantac) is a H2 blocker. It reduces the amount of stomach acid produced.
It is not recommend that ranitidine be used while taking oral ketoconazole. Stomach acid is required for ketoconazole to properly absorb into the body. When patients must be on medications like ranitidine, their doctors may have them take ketoconazole with cola or some other acidic beverage to ensure proper absorption.
If you are using ketoconazole and have frequent heart burn or other stomach acid issues be sure to speak with a healthcare provider about treatments that won’t reduce ketoconazole’s effectiveness.
