Drug interactions
Buprenorphine subdermal implant + Nortriptyline
Severity: Moderate
Buprenorphine subdermal implant and Nortriptyline: 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
Both drugs may prolong the QTc interval, and both cause sedation. Together they raise the risk of arrhythmia and of excessive CNS and respiratory depression.
What this interaction means in plain words
Buprenorphine subdermal implant and Nortriptyline 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 and CNS depression.
What to do
Monitor for sedation and respiratory depression, particularly after dose changes. Obtain an ECG in patients with cardiac risk factors or other QT-prolonging drugs.
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 Nortriptyline
- Disopyramide + Nortriptyline Contraindicated
- Dofetilide + Nortriptyline Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Nortriptyline Contraindicated
- Ibutilide + Nortriptyline Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Nortriptyline Contraindicated
- Methylene blue + Nortriptyline Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Buprenorphine subdermal implant with Nortriptyline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Buprenorphine subdermal implant and Nortriptyline 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. Both drugs may prolong the QTc interval, and both cause sedation. Together they raise the risk of arrhythmia and of excessive CNS and respiratory depression.
How serious is the interaction between Buprenorphine subdermal implant and Nortriptyline?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor for sedation and respiratory depression, particularly after dose changes. Obtain an ECG in patients with cardiac risk factors or other QT-prolonging drugs.
What other medicines interact with Nortriptyline?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Nortriptyline with, for example, Disopyramide, Dofetilide, Dronedarone. The full list is on the Nortriptyline page.
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