Drug interactions
Brexanolone + Fentanyl
Severity: Major
Brexanolone and Fentanyl: 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
Brexanolone causes excessive sedation and sudden loss of consciousness in some patients, and opioids add to this CNS depression. Concurrent use raises the risk of profound sedation and respiratory depression.
What this interaction means in plain words
Brexanolone and Fentanyl 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 depression from a GABA-A positive allosteric modulator combined with an opioid agonist.
What to do
Monitor continuously with pulse oximetry during the brexanolone infusion and consider reducing or withholding the opioid dose. Interrupt the infusion if excessive sedation occurs.
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 Fentanyl
- Alvimopan + Fentanyl Contraindicated
- Fentanyl + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Fentanyl + Olanzapine / samidorphan Contraindicated
- Fentanyl + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Fentanyl + Tranylcypromine Contraindicated
- Alfentanil + Fentanyl Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Brexanolone with Fentanyl?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Brexanolone and Fentanyl 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. Brexanolone causes excessive sedation and sudden loss of consciousness in some patients, and opioids add to this CNS depression. Concurrent use raises the risk of profound sedation and respiratory depression.
How serious is the interaction between Brexanolone and Fentanyl?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor continuously with pulse oximetry during the brexanolone infusion and consider reducing or withholding the opioid dose. Interrupt the infusion if excessive sedation occurs.
What other medicines interact with Fentanyl?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Fentanyl with, for example, Alvimopan, Isocarboxazid, Olanzapine / samidorphan. The full list is on the Fentanyl page.
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