Drug interactions
Azathioprine + Hydroxycarbamide
Severity: Moderate
Azathioprine and Hydroxycarbamide: 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
Both drugs suppress bone marrow, so combined use can deepen leukopenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia. This raises the risk of infection and bleeding.
What this interaction means in plain words
Azathioprine and Hydroxycarbamide 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.
Azathioprine belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract; Hydroxycarbamide belongs to Oncology.
Why it happens
Additive myelosuppression through different antiproliferative mechanisms (purine synthesis inhibition and ribonucleotide reductase inhibition).
What to do
Monitor complete blood counts frequently and reduce the dose of one or both drugs if cytopenias develop.
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 Azathioprine
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Azathioprine Contraindicated
- Azathioprine + Bcg vaccine live Contraindicated
- Azathioprine + Febuxostat Contraindicated
- Azathioprine + Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal Contraindicated
- Azathioprine + Measles mumps and rubella vaccine Contraindicated
- Azathioprine + Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live Contraindicated
Other interactions of Hydroxycarbamide
- Didanosine + Hydroxycarbamide Contraindicated
- Hydroxycarbamide + Stavudine Contraindicated
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Hydroxycarbamide Major
- Axicabtagene ciloleucel + Hydroxycarbamide Major
- Bcg intravesical live + Hydroxycarbamide Major
- Bcg vaccine live + Hydroxycarbamide Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Azathioprine with Hydroxycarbamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Azathioprine and Hydroxycarbamide 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. Both drugs suppress bone marrow, so combined use can deepen leukopenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia. This raises the risk of infection and bleeding.
How serious is the interaction between Azathioprine and Hydroxycarbamide?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor complete blood counts frequently and reduce the dose of one or both drugs if cytopenias develop.
What other medicines interact with Azathioprine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Azathioprine with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Bcg vaccine live, Febuxostat. The full list is on the Azathioprine page.
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