Drug interactions
Baclofen + Desflurane
Severity: Moderate
Baclofen and Desflurane: 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
Baclofen can enhance the effect of general anaesthetics, leading to deeper sedation, hypotension or respiratory depression. Anaesthetic requirements may be reduced in patients taking baclofen, and abrupt withdrawal perioperatively is also hazardous.
What this interaction means in plain words
Baclofen and Desflurane 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.
Baclofen belongs to Musculoskeletal; Desflurane belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive CNS and respiratory depression from the GABA-B agonist and the volatile anaesthetic.
What to do
Inform the anaesthetist about baclofen use and titrate anaesthetic depth to effect with hemodynamic and respiratory monitoring. Continue baclofen perioperatively to avoid withdrawal.
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?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Baclofen and Desflurane, 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 Baclofen
Other interactions of Desflurane
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Baclofen with Desflurane?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Baclofen and Desflurane 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. Baclofen can enhance the effect of general anaesthetics, leading to deeper sedation, hypotension or respiratory depression. Anaesthetic requirements may be reduced in patients taking baclofen, and abrupt withdrawal perioperatively is also hazardous.
How serious is the interaction between Baclofen and Desflurane?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Inform the anaesthetist about baclofen use and titrate anaesthetic depth to effect with hemodynamic and respiratory monitoring. Continue baclofen perioperatively to avoid withdrawal.
What other medicines interact with Baclofen?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Baclofen with, for example, Alfentanil, Amobarbital, Belladonna and opium. The full list is on the Baclofen 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.
