Drug interactions
Buprenorphine buccal + Erythromycin
Severity: Moderate
Buprenorphine buccal and Erythromycin: 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
Buprenorphine can prolong the QT interval and erythromycin has a well-known QT effect, so together they may raise arrhythmia risk. Erythromycin may also increase buprenorphine levels through CYP3A4 inhibition, adding opioid effects.
What this interaction means in plain words
Buprenorphine buccal and Erythromycin 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 QT prolongation plus CYP3A4 inhibition by erythromycin raising buprenorphine exposure.
What to do
Consider an alternative antibiotic; if combined, monitor ECG in patients with cardiac risk factors and watch for sedation or respiratory depression.
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?
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Other interactions of Erythromycin
- Conivaptan + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine intranasal + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Domperidone + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Erythromycin Contraindicated
- Droperidol + Erythromycin Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Buprenorphine buccal with Erythromycin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Buprenorphine buccal and Erythromycin 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. Buprenorphine can prolong the QT interval and erythromycin has a well-known QT effect, so together they may raise arrhythmia risk. Erythromycin may also increase buprenorphine levels through CYP3A4 inhibition, adding opioid effects.
How serious is the interaction between Buprenorphine buccal and Erythromycin?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Consider an alternative antibiotic; if combined, monitor ECG in patients with cardiac risk factors and watch for sedation or respiratory depression.
What other medicines interact with Erythromycin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Erythromycin with, for example, Conivaptan, Dihydroergotamine intranasal, Dihydroergotamine. The full list is on the Erythromycin page.
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