Drug interactions
Brompheniramine + Diamorphine
Severity: Major
Brompheniramine and Diamorphine: 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
Diamorphine (heroin) with a sedating antihistamine increases drowsiness and the risk of respiratory depression. This can be dangerous at higher opioid doses or in opioid-naive patients.
What this interaction means in plain words
Brompheniramine and Diamorphine 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 via opioid agonism and H1 antagonism.
What to do
Use the lowest effective doses and monitor sedation and respiratory rate. Prefer a non-sedating antihistamine.
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 Brompheniramine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Brompheniramine with Diamorphine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Brompheniramine and Diamorphine 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. Diamorphine (heroin) with a sedating antihistamine increases drowsiness and the risk of respiratory depression. This can be dangerous at higher opioid doses or in opioid-naive patients.
How serious is the interaction between Brompheniramine and Diamorphine?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Use the lowest effective doses and monitor sedation and respiratory rate. Prefer a non-sedating antihistamine.
What other medicines interact with Brompheniramine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Brompheniramine with, for example, Alfentanil, Belladonna and opium, Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen. The full list is on the Brompheniramine page.
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