Drug interactions
Butalbital + Oxymorphone
Severity: Major
Butalbital and Oxymorphone: 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
Butalbital is a barbiturate and combining it with oxymorphone increases the risk of profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Regulators warn about opioid use with other CNS depressants.
What this interaction means in plain words
Butalbital and Oxymorphone 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 from opioid and barbiturate activity.
What to do
Reserve combined use for patients with no alternatives, using the lowest doses and shortest duration. Monitor sedation and respiratory rate closely.
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 Oxymorphone
- Alvimopan + Oxymorphone Contraindicated
- Ethanol + Oxymorphone Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Oxymorphone Contraindicated
- Olanzapine / samidorphan + Oxymorphone Contraindicated
- Oxymorphone + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Oxymorphone + Selegiline transdermal Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Butalbital with Oxymorphone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Butalbital and Oxymorphone 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. Butalbital is a barbiturate and combining it with oxymorphone increases the risk of profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Regulators warn about opioid use with other CNS depressants.
How serious is the interaction between Butalbital and Oxymorphone?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Reserve combined use for patients with no alternatives, using the lowest doses and shortest duration. Monitor sedation and respiratory rate closely.
What other medicines interact with Oxymorphone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Oxymorphone with, for example, Alvimopan, Ethanol, Isocarboxazid. The full list is on the Oxymorphone page.
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