Meperidine/Serotonergic CYP3A4 Inhibitors Interactions
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
Your other medicine may slow down how quickly your liver processes your pain medicine. Both of these medicines can increase the level of serotonin in your body.
What might happen:
The amount of pain medicine in your blood may increase and you may have more side effects than expected.High serotonin levels may cause changes in body temperature, blood pressure and behavior, leading to a medical condition called Serotonin Syndrome. The severity of Serotonin Syndrome varies from mild to potentially life threatening.
What you should do about this interaction:
Let your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together.If you feel more sleepy or tired than normal, contact your healthcare professional as soon as possible. If you have unusually slow or shallow breathing, get help right away. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should have naloxone available to treat opioid overdose. Teach your family or household members about the signs of an opioid overdose and how to treat it. If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, give them naloxone if available, then call 911. If the person is awake and has no symptoms, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: slow/shallow breathing, slow heartbeat, comaIf you experience muscle twitching, tremors, shivering and stiffness, fever, heavy sweating, heart palpitations, restlessness, confusion, agitation, trouble with coordination, or severe diarrhea contact your doctor right away.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
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- 2.Luvox (fluvoxamine maleate) US prescribing information. Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. August, 2023.
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- 5.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA updates prescribing information for all opioid pain medicines to provide additional guidance for safe use. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-prescri bing-information-all-opioid-pain-medicines-provide-additional-guidance-saf e-use?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery April 13, 2023.
- 6.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA recommends health care professionals discuss naloxone with all patients when prescribing opioid pain relievers or medicines to treat opioid use disorder. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-recommends-heal th-care-professionals-discuss-naloxone-all-patients-when-prescribing-opioi d-pain July 23, 2020.
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.