Mercaptopurine/Azathioprine 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:
Very Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects and are usually not taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
Your body converts azathioprine into mercaptopurine.
What might happen:
The amount of mercaptopurine in your body will increase and cause serious side effects.
What you should do about this interaction:
Make sure your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know right away that you are taking these medicines together. Let your doctor know right away if you develop any signs of an infection (such as a fever, chills, or persistent sore throat), unusual bleeding or bruising (such as black or tarry stool, blood in your urine), mouth or lip sores, unusual tiredness, dizziness, weakness, chest pain, or shortness of breath.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.
- 1.Imuran (azathioprine) US prescribing information. Prometheus Laboratories Inc. February, 2014.
- 2.ISMP. Duplication with azathioprine and mercaptopurine. Medication Safety Alert June 29, 2006.
Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.
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.