Drug interactions
Arsenic trioxide + Maprotiline
Severity: Contraindicated
Arsenic trioxide and Maprotiline: contraindicated 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
Arsenic trioxide causes marked QT prolongation and torsades de pointes, and maprotiline adds to this risk. The combination can cause life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.
What this interaction means in plain words
Arsenic trioxide and Maprotiline are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Arsenic trioxide belongs to Oncology; Maprotiline belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive QT prolongation through cardiac repolarization effects.
What to do
Avoid the combination and use a non-QT-prolonging antidepressant during arsenic trioxide therapy. If it is unavoidable, perform continuous ECG monitoring and keep potassium and magnesium replete.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Arsenic trioxide and Maprotiline, 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 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Maprotiline
- Disopyramide + Maprotiline Contraindicated
- Dofetilide + Maprotiline Contraindicated
- Ibutilide + Maprotiline Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Maprotiline Contraindicated
- Maprotiline + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Maprotiline + Phenelzine Contraindicated
Other interactions of Arsenic trioxide
- Amiodarone + Arsenic trioxide Contraindicated
- Amisulpride + Arsenic trioxide Contraindicated
- Arsenic trioxide + Clomipramine Contraindicated
- Arsenic trioxide + Dronedarone Contraindicated
- Arsenic trioxide + Fluphenazine Contraindicated
- Arsenic trioxide + Gemifloxacin Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Arsenic trioxide with Maprotiline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Arsenic trioxide and Maprotiline are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Arsenic trioxide causes marked QT prolongation and torsades de pointes, and maprotiline adds to this risk. The combination can cause life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.
How serious is the interaction between Arsenic trioxide and Maprotiline?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination and use a non-QT-prolonging antidepressant during arsenic trioxide therapy. If it is unavoidable, perform continuous ECG monitoring and keep potassium and magnesium replete.
What other medicines interact with Maprotiline?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Maprotiline with, for example, Disopyramide, Dofetilide, Ibutilide. The full list is on the Maprotiline 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.
