Drug interactions
Ampicillin + Deflazacort
Severity: Minor
Ampicillin and Deflazacort: minor interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Both drugs can lower serum potassium. Deflazacort has mineralocorticoid activity that promotes potassium loss, and ampicillin is a sodium salt in parenteral form, which can add to urinary potassium loss. The effect is generally small but can matter in patients at risk of hypokalemia.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ampicillin and Deflazacort have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised.
Ampicillin belongs to Anti Bacterial; Deflazacort belongs to Miscellaneous.
Why it happens
Additive potassium-lowering effects through corticosteroid-induced renal potassium wasting and the sodium load of parenteral ampicillin.
What to do
Monitor serum potassium in patients receiving high-dose parenteral ampicillin with deflazacort, especially if they also take other potassium-depleting drugs. Replace potassium if levels are low.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there anything I should notice while taking both?
- Do I need to tell my doctor at the next visit?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Ampicillin and Deflazacort, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Ampicillin
- Allopurinol + Ampicillin Moderate
- Ampicillin + Bcg vaccine live Moderate
- Ampicillin + Chloramphenicol Moderate
- Ampicillin + Chloroquine Moderate
- Ampicillin + Cholera vaccine Moderate
- Ampicillin + Demeclocycline Moderate
Other interactions of Deflazacort
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Deflazacort Contraindicated
- Bcg vaccine live + Deflazacort Contraindicated
- Deflazacort + Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal Contraindicated
- Deflazacort + Measles mumps and rubella vaccine Contraindicated
- Deflazacort + Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live Contraindicated
- Deflazacort + Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ampicillin with Deflazacort?
MediHelp rates the interaction as minor. Ampicillin and Deflazacort have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised. Both drugs can lower serum potassium. Deflazacort has mineralocorticoid activity that promotes potassium loss, and ampicillin is a sodium salt in parenteral form, which can add to urinary potassium loss. The effect is generally small but can matter in patients at risk of hypokalemia.
How serious is the interaction between Ampicillin and Deflazacort?
MediHelp rates it minor, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor serum potassium in patients receiving high-dose parenteral ampicillin with deflazacort, especially if they also take other potassium-depleting drugs. Replace potassium if levels are low.
What other medicines interact with Ampicillin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Ampicillin with, for example, Allopurinol, Bcg vaccine live, Chloramphenicol. The full list is on the Ampicillin page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
