Drug interactions
Brompheniramine + Ethanol
Severity: Moderate
Brompheniramine and Ethanol: 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
Alcohol intensifies the drowsiness and psychomotor impairment of first-generation antihistamines like brompheniramine. This raises the risk of accidents, falls and, at high intake, marked CNS depression.
What this interaction means in plain words
Brompheniramine and Ethanol 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 CNS depression from H1 antagonism and alcohol's GABAergic and other depressant effects.
What to do
Advise patients to avoid alcohol while taking brompheniramine and to avoid driving until they know how they respond.
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 Brompheniramine and Ethanol, 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 Brompheniramine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Brompheniramine with Ethanol?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Brompheniramine and Ethanol 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. Alcohol intensifies the drowsiness and psychomotor impairment of first-generation antihistamines like brompheniramine. This raises the risk of accidents, falls and, at high intake, marked CNS depression.
How serious is the interaction between Brompheniramine and Ethanol?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Advise patients to avoid alcohol while taking brompheniramine and to avoid driving until they know how they respond.
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.
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.
