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Drug Interactions between Benadryl and Lexapro

This report displays the potential drug interactions for the following 2 drugs:

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Interactions between your drugs

Moderate

diphenhydrAMINE escitalopram

Applies to: Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Lexapro (escitalopram)

MONITOR: Central nervous system- and/or respiratory-depressant effects may be additively or synergistically increased in patients taking multiple drugs that cause these effects, especially in elderly or debilitated patients. Sedation and impairment of attention, judgment, thinking, and psychomotor skills may increase.

MANAGEMENT: During concomitant use of these drugs, patients should be monitored for potentially excessive or prolonged CNS and respiratory depression. Cautious dosage titration may be required, particularly at treatment initiation. Ambulatory patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities requiring mental alertness and motor coordination until they know how these agents affect them, and to notify their physician if they experience excessive or prolonged CNS effects that interfere with their normal activities.

References (36)
  1. Hamilton MJ, Bush M, Smith P, Peck AW (1982) "The effects of bupropion, a new antidepressant drug, and diazepam, and their interaction in man." Br J Clin Pharmacol, 14, p. 791-7
  2. Stambaugh JE, Lane C (1983) "Analgesic efficacy and pharmacokinetic evaluation of meperidine and hydroxyzine, alone and in combination." Cancer Invest, 1, p. 111-7
  3. Sotaniemi EA, Anttila M, Rautio A, et al. (1981) "Propranolol and sotalol metabolism after a drinking party." Clin Pharmacol Ther, 29, p. 705-10
  4. Grabowski BS, Cady WJ, Young WW, Emery JF (1980) "Effects of acute alcohol administration on propranolol absorption." Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol, 18, p. 317-9
  5. Lemberger L, Rowe H, Bosomworth JC, Tenbarge JB, Bergstrom RF (1988) "The effect of fluoxetine on the pharmacokinetics and psychomotor responses of diazepam." Clin Pharmacol Ther, 43, p. 412-9
  6. MacLeod SM, Giles HG, Patzalek G, Thiessen JJ, Sellers EM (1977) "Diazepam actions and plasma concentrations following ethanol ingestion." Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 11, p. 345-9
  7. Divoll M, Greenblatt DJ, Lacasse Y, Shader RI (1981) "Benzodiazepine overdosage: plasma concentrations and clinical outcome." Psychopharmacology (Berl), 73, p. 381-3
  8. Naylor GJ, McHarg A (1977) "Profound hypothermia on combined lithium carbonate and diazepam treatment." Br Med J, 2, p. 22
  9. Stovner J, Endresen R (1965) "Intravenous anaesthesia with diazepam." Acta Anaesthesiol Scand, 24, p. 223-7
  10. Driessen JJ, Vree TB, Booij LH, van der Pol FM, Crul JF (1984) "Effect of some benzodiazepines on peripheral neuromuscular function in the rat in-vitro hemidiaphragm preparation." J Pharm Pharmacol, 36, p. 244-7
  11. Feldman SA, Crawley BE (1970) "Interaction of diazepam with the muscle-relaxant drugs." Br Med J, 1, p. 336-8
  12. Ochs HR, Greenblatt DJ, Verburg-Ochs B (1984) "Propranolol interactions with diazepam, lorazepam and alprazolam." Clin Pharmacol Ther, 36, p. 451-5
  13. Desager JP, Hulhoven R, Harvengt C, Hermann P, Guillet P, Thiercelin JF (1988) "Possible interactions between zolpidem, a new sleep inducer and chlorpromazine, a phenothiazine neuroleptic." Psychopharmacology (Berl), 96, p. 63-6
  14. Tverskoy M, Fleyshman G, Ezry J, Bradley EL, Jr Kissin I (1989) "Midazolam-morphine sedative interaction in patients." Anesth Analg, 68, p. 282-5
  15. "Product Information. Iopidine (apraclonidine ophthalmic)." Alcon Laboratories Inc
  16. Greiff JMC, Rowbotham D (1994) "Pharmacokinetic drug interactions with gastrointestinal motility modifying agents." Clin Pharmacokinet, 27, p. 447-61
  17. Greb WH, Buscher G, Dierdorf HD, Koster FE, Wolf D, Mellows G (1989) "The effect of liver enzyme inhibition by cimetidine and enzyme induction by phenobarbitone on the pharmacokinetics of paroxetine." Acta Psychiatr Scand, 80 Suppl, p. 95-8
  18. Markowitz JS, Wells BG, Carson WH (1995) "Interactions between antipsychotic and antihypertensive drugs." Ann Pharmacother, 29, p. 603-9
  19. (2001) "Product Information. Ultram (tramadol)." McNeil Pharmaceutical
  20. (2001) "Product Information. Artane (trihexyphenidyl)." Lederle Laboratories
  21. (2001) "Product Information. Ultiva (remifentanil)." Mylan Institutional (formally Bioniche Pharma USA Inc)
  22. (2001) "Product Information. Seroquel (quetiapine)." Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals
  23. (2001) "Product Information. Meridia (sibutramine)." Knoll Pharmaceutical Company
  24. (2001) "Product Information. Tasmar (tolcapone)." Valeant Pharmaceuticals
  25. Miller LG (1998) "Herbal medicinals: selected clinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions." Arch Intern Med, 158, p. 2200-11
  26. (2001) "Product Information. Precedex (dexmedetomidine)." Abbott Pharmaceutical
  27. (2001) "Product Information. Trileptal (oxcarbazepine)." Novartis Pharmaceuticals
  28. Ferslew KE, Hagardorn AN, McCormick WF (1990) "A fatal interaction of methocarbamol and ethanol in an accidental poisoning." J Forensic Sci, 35, p. 477-82
  29. Plushner SL (2000) "Valerian: valeriana officinalis." Am J Health Syst Pharm, 57, p. 328-35
  30. (2002) "Product Information. Xatral (alfuzosin)." Sanofi-Synthelabo Canada Inc
  31. (2002) "Product Information. Lexapro (escitalopram)." Forest Pharmaceuticals
  32. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics."
  33. Cerner Multum, Inc. "Australian Product Information."
  34. (2012) "Product Information. Fycompa (perampanel)." Eisai Inc
  35. (2014) "Product Information. Belsomra (suvorexant)." Merck & Co., Inc
  36. (2015) "Product Information. Rexulti (brexpiprazole)." Otsuka American Pharmaceuticals Inc

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Drug and food interactions

Moderate

escitalopram food

Applies to: Lexapro (escitalopram)

GENERALLY AVOID: Alcohol may potentiate some of the pharmacologic effects of CNS-active agents. Use in combination may result in additive central nervous system depression and/or impairment of judgment, thinking, and psychomotor skills.

MANAGEMENT: Patients receiving CNS-active agents should be warned of this interaction and advised to avoid or limit consumption of alcohol. Ambulatory patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities requiring complete mental alertness and motor coordination until they know how these agents affect them, and to notify their physician if they experience excessive or prolonged CNS effects that interfere with their normal activities.

References (4)
  1. Warrington SJ, Ankier SI, Turner P (1986) "Evaluation of possible interactions between ethanol and trazodone or amitriptyline." Neuropsychobiology, 15, p. 31-7
  2. Gilman AG, eds., Nies AS, Rall TW, Taylor P (1990) "Goodman and Gilman's the Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics." New York, NY: Pergamon Press Inc.
  3. (2012) "Product Information. Fycompa (perampanel)." Eisai Inc
  4. (2015) "Product Information. Rexulti (brexpiprazole)." Otsuka American Pharmaceuticals Inc

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Moderate

diphenhydrAMINE food

Applies to: Benadryl (diphenhydramine)

GENERALLY AVOID: Use of anticholinergic agents with alcohol may result in sufficient impairment of attention so as to render driving and operating machinery more hazardous. In addition, the potential for abuse may be increased with the combination. The mechanism of interaction is not established but may involve additive depressant effects on the central nervous system. No effect of oral propantheline or atropine on blood alcohol levels was observed in healthy volunteers when administered before ingestion of a standard ethanol load. However, one study found impairment of attention in subjects given atropine 0.5 mg or glycopyrrolate 1 mg in combination with alcohol.

MANAGEMENT: Alcohol should generally be avoided during therapy with anticholinergic agents. Patients should be counseled to avoid activities requiring mental alertness until they know how these agents affect them.

References (1)
  1. Linnoila M (1973) "Drug effects on psychomotor skills related to driving: interaction of atropine, glycopyrrhonium and alcohol." Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 6, p. 107-12

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Therapeutic duplication warnings

No warnings were found for your selected drugs.

Therapeutic duplication warnings are only returned when drugs within the same group exceed the recommended therapeutic duplication maximum.

See also

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Drug Interaction Classification

These classifications are only a guideline. The relevance of a particular drug interaction to a specific individual is difficult to determine. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medication.
Major Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit.
Moderate Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances.
Minor Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan.
Unknown No interaction information available.

Further information

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