Drug interactions
Arformoterol + Pirbuterol
Severity: Moderate
Arformoterol and Pirbuterol: moderate 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
Using pirbuterol with the long-acting beta-2 agonist arformoterol causes additive adrenergic effects including tachycardia, tremor, hypertension, QT effects and hypokalemia. The overlap is duplicative and raises cardiovascular risk, especially in patients with heart disease.
What this interaction means in plain words
Arformoterol and Pirbuterol can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive beta-2 adrenergic receptor stimulation.
What to do
Avoid routine use of a short-acting agent on top of arformoterol beyond rescue need; monitor heart rate, blood pressure and serum potassium in at-risk patients.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Arformoterol
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Arformoterol with Pirbuterol?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Arformoterol and Pirbuterol can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Using pirbuterol with the long-acting beta-2 agonist arformoterol causes additive adrenergic effects including tachycardia, tremor, hypertension, QT effects and hypokalemia. The overlap is duplicative and raises cardiovascular risk, especially in patients with heart disease.
How serious is the interaction between Arformoterol and Pirbuterol?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid routine use of a short-acting agent on top of arformoterol beyond rescue need; monitor heart rate, blood pressure and serum potassium in at-risk patients.
What other medicines interact with Arformoterol?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Arformoterol with, for example, Budesonide-formoterol, Carvedilol, Cisapride. The full list is on the Arformoterol page.
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