Drug interactions
Buprenorphine buccal + Chloral hydrate
Severity: Major
Buprenorphine buccal and Chloral hydrate: major interaction.
Last updated Sources: UK SmPC
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
Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist and chloral hydrate is a sedative, so combined use can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression and coma. This type of combination carries a labeled warning for opioids with CNS depressants.
What this interaction means in plain words
Buprenorphine buccal and Chloral hydrate 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.
What to do
Avoid concurrent use when possible; if required, use the lowest doses for the shortest duration and monitor respiration and sedation. Counsel patients and caregivers on overdose signs.
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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References
- Chloral Hydrate 143mg/5ml Oral Solution - SmPC sections 4.3/4.5 (class statement: narcotic analgesics; "Concomitant use with antipsychotics, hypnotics, anxiolytics/sedatives, antidepressant agents, centrally acting muscle relaxants, narcotic analgesics, anti-epile") — electronic medicines compendium (UK SmPC)
Other interactions of Chloral hydrate
- Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates + Chloral hydrate Contraindicated
- Chloral hydrate + Sodium oxybate Contraindicated
- Alfentanil + Chloral hydrate Major
- Alprazolam + Chloral hydrate Major
- Amobarbital + Chloral hydrate Major
- Belladonna and opium + Chloral hydrate Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Buprenorphine buccal with Chloral hydrate?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Buprenorphine buccal and Chloral hydrate 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. Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist and chloral hydrate is a sedative, so combined use can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression and coma. This type of combination carries a labeled warning for opioids with CNS depressants.
How serious is the interaction between Buprenorphine buccal and Chloral hydrate?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid concurrent use when possible; if required, use the lowest doses for the shortest duration and monitor respiration and sedation. Counsel patients and caregivers on overdose signs.
What other medicines interact with Chloral hydrate?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Chloral hydrate with, for example, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Sodium oxybate, Alfentanil. The full list is on the Chloral hydrate page.
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