Drug interactions
Brimonidine + Butabarbital
Severity: Moderate
Brimonidine and Butabarbital: 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
Brimonidine is an alpha-2 agonist that can cause drowsiness and fatigue, particularly with systemic absorption. Combined with the barbiturate butabarbital, central nervous system depression may be more pronounced, impairing alertness and psychomotor performance.
What this interaction means in plain words
Brimonidine and Butabarbital 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.
Why it happens
Additive central nervous system depression from alpha-2 adrenergic agonism and barbiturate enhancement of GABA-A activity.
What to do
Counsel patients about additive drowsiness and advise against driving or operating machinery until the response is known. Reduce the sedative dose if excessive sedation occurs.
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 Brimonidine and Butabarbital, 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 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Brimonidine
- Brimonidine + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Brimonidine + Linezolid Contraindicated
- Brimonidine + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Brimonidine + Procarbazine Contraindicated
- Brimonidine + Rasagiline Contraindicated
- Brimonidine + Selegiline Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Brimonidine with Butabarbital?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Brimonidine and Butabarbital 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. Brimonidine is an alpha-2 agonist that can cause drowsiness and fatigue, particularly with systemic absorption. Combined with the barbiturate butabarbital, central nervous system depression may be more pronounced, impairing alertness and psychomotor performance.
How serious is the interaction between Brimonidine and Butabarbital?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Counsel patients about additive drowsiness and advise against driving or operating machinery until the response is known. Reduce the sedative dose if excessive sedation occurs.
What other medicines interact with Brimonidine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Brimonidine with, for example, Isocarboxazid, Linezolid, Phenelzine. The full list is on the Brimonidine 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.
