Agents used to treat fungal infections
Start with the big picture
The lesson organizes antifungals by class and connects each mechanism to clinical use and key adverse effects. Polyenes bind ergosterol and form membrane pores; azoles interfere with ergosterol synthesis, with individual agents differing in coverage and indications. Echinocandins inhibit fungal cell-wall synthesis, while allylamines block squalene epoxidase. Flucytosine disrupts fungal DNA and RNA synthesis and is used in combination for cryptococcal meningitis; griseofulvin affects microtubules and accumulates in keratin. The topic also introduces topical antifungals and broader considerations such as monitoring, interactions, pregnancy, resistance, and whether agents are fungicidal or fungistatic. These distinctions provide a framework for comparing therapies without treating the drug classes as interchangeable.
What you'll learn
- Compare the principal mechanisms of major antifungal drug classes.
- Relate selected antifungal agents to their clinical uses and coverage.
- Identify important adverse effects and monitoring considerations across classes.
- Recognize how interactions, pregnancy, resistance, and activity type inform therapy comparisons.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.
