Drug interactions
Butabarbital + Diazepam
Severity: Moderate
Butabarbital and Diazepam: 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
Butabarbital adds to the sedative and respiratory depressant effects of diazepam. As a barbiturate it also induces hepatic enzymes, which can lower diazepam exposure and make its effect less predictable over time.
What this interaction means in plain words
Butabarbital and Diazepam 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 at GABA-A receptors, plus barbiturate induction of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 that accelerates diazepam metabolism.
What to do
Monitor sedation and respiratory status, using the lowest effective doses of each drug. Reassess diazepam dosing when the barbiturate is started or stopped.
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 Diazepam
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Butabarbital with Diazepam?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Butabarbital and Diazepam 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. Butabarbital adds to the sedative and respiratory depressant effects of diazepam. As a barbiturate it also induces hepatic enzymes, which can lower diazepam exposure and make its effect less predictable over time.
How serious is the interaction between Butabarbital and Diazepam?
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 sedation and respiratory status, using the lowest effective doses of each drug. Reassess diazepam dosing when the barbiturate is started or stopped.
What other medicines interact with Diazepam?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Diazepam with, for example, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Alfentanil, Alprazolam. The full list is on the Diazepam page.
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