Drug interactions
Chlorpheniramine + Pholcodine
Severity: Moderate
Chlorpheniramine and Pholcodine: 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
Pholcodine is an opioid antitussive with sedative properties. Together with chlorpheniramine it can increase drowsiness and impair alertness.
What this interaction means in plain words
Chlorpheniramine and Pholcodine 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 from opioid receptor agonism and H1 antagonism.
What to do
Counsel patients to avoid driving and alcohol while taking both. Monitor for oversedation, particularly in older adults and children.
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 Chlorpheniramine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Chlorpheniramine with Pholcodine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Chlorpheniramine and Pholcodine 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. Pholcodine is an opioid antitussive with sedative properties. Together with chlorpheniramine it can increase drowsiness and impair alertness.
How serious is the interaction between Chlorpheniramine and Pholcodine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Counsel patients to avoid driving and alcohol while taking both. Monitor for oversedation, particularly in older adults and children.
What other medicines interact with Chlorpheniramine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Chlorpheniramine with, for example, Belladonna and opium, Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen, Brexanolone. The full list is on the Chlorpheniramine page.
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