Drug interactions
Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen + Chlordiazepoxide
Severity: Major
Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen and Chlordiazepoxide: major 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
Combining a benzodiazepine with an opioid such as benzhydrocodone can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. This is a boxed warning class effect for opioids with benzodiazepines.
What this interaction means in plain words
Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen and Chlordiazepoxide can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for.
Why it happens
Additive CNS and respiratory depression from opioid receptor agonism and GABA-A potentiation.
What to do
Reserve concomitant use for patients with no adequate alternatives, using the lowest doses and shortest duration. Monitor closely for sedation and respiratory depression and consider naloxone availability.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Does the benefit of taking both outweigh the risk in my case?
- Do I need any blood test, ECG or other check while on both?
- What early warning signs should I watch for, and what should I do if they appear?
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Other interactions of Chlordiazepoxide
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen with Chlordiazepoxide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen and Chlordiazepoxide can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for. Combining a benzodiazepine with an opioid such as benzhydrocodone can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. This is a boxed warning class effect for opioids with benzodiazepines.
How serious is the interaction between Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen and Chlordiazepoxide?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Reserve concomitant use for patients with no adequate alternatives, using the lowest doses and shortest duration. Monitor closely for sedation and respiratory depression and consider naloxone availability.
What other medicines interact with Chlordiazepoxide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Chlordiazepoxide with, for example, Alfentanil, Alprazolam, Amobarbital. The full list is on the Chlordiazepoxide page.
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