Drug interactions
Cisatracurium + Doxapram
Severity: Moderate
Cisatracurium and Doxapram: 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
Doxapram is a respiratory stimulant and does not reliably reverse neuromuscular blockade. It may mask residual paralysis by increasing respiratory drive while muscle weakness persists.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cisatracurium and Doxapram 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.
Cisatracurium belongs to Musculoskeletal; Doxapram belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Doxapram stimulates central and peripheral chemoreceptors and does not act at the neuromuscular junction, so it cannot properly antagonize cisatracurium.
What to do
Do not use doxapram to reverse neuromuscular blockade; use sugammadex-type or cholinesterase inhibitor reversal guided by train-of-four monitoring. Confirm adequate recovery before extubation.
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 Cisatracurium
Other interactions of Doxapram
- Desflurane + Doxapram Major
- Dextroamphetamine + Doxapram Major
- Doxapram + Isocarboxazid Major
- Doxapram + Ketamine Major
- Doxapram + Linezolid Major
- Doxapram + Lisdexamfetamine Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cisatracurium with Doxapram?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Cisatracurium and Doxapram 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. Doxapram is a respiratory stimulant and does not reliably reverse neuromuscular blockade. It may mask residual paralysis by increasing respiratory drive while muscle weakness persists.
How serious is the interaction between Cisatracurium and Doxapram?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not use doxapram to reverse neuromuscular blockade; use sugammadex-type or cholinesterase inhibitor reversal guided by train-of-four monitoring. Confirm adequate recovery before extubation.
What other medicines interact with Cisatracurium?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cisatracurium with, for example, Amikacin, Bacitracin-neomycin-polymyxin, Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen. The full list is on the Cisatracurium page.
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