Drug interactions
Buprenorphine buccal + Chlordiazepoxide
Severity: Major
Buprenorphine buccal and Chlordiazepoxide: major interaction.
Last updated Sources: US FDA label
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
Concurrent use of buprenorphine and benzodiazepines can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Regulators carry boxed warnings about opioid and benzodiazepine co-prescribing.
What this interaction means in plain words
Buprenorphine buccal and Chlordiazepoxide 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 through mu-opioid partial agonism and GABA-A potentiation.
What to do
Limit combined use to patients without alternatives, use the lowest doses and shortest duration, and counsel patients and caregivers about signs of respiratory depression.
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
Other interactions of Chlordiazepoxide
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Buprenorphine buccal with Chlordiazepoxide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Buprenorphine buccal and Chlordiazepoxide 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. Concurrent use of buprenorphine and benzodiazepines can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Regulators carry boxed warnings about opioid and benzodiazepine co-prescribing.
How serious is the interaction between Buprenorphine buccal and Chlordiazepoxide?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Limit combined use to patients without alternatives, use the lowest doses and shortest duration, and counsel patients and caregivers about signs of respiratory depression.
What other medicines interact with Chlordiazepoxide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Chlordiazepoxide with, for example, Alfentanil, Alprazolam, Amobarbital. The full list is on the Chlordiazepoxide page.
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