Drug interactions
Clarithromycin + Eplerenone
Severity: Contraindicated
Clarithromycin and Eplerenone: contraindicated 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
Clarithromycin markedly increases eplerenone exposure, raising the risk of hyperkalemia and associated arrhythmia. Eplerenone labeling contraindicates strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as clarithromycin.
What this interaction means in plain words
Clarithromycin and Eplerenone are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Clarithromycin belongs to Anti Bacterial; Eplerenone belongs to Cardiovascular.
Why it happens
Clarithromycin is a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor and blocks the main metabolic pathway of eplerenone.
What to do
Do not co-administer; use an antibiotic without strong CYP3A4 inhibition, such as azithromycin, or withhold eplerenone during the course. Check potassium if exposure has occurred.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Clarithromycin and Eplerenone, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Clarithromycin
- Astemizole + Clarithromycin Contraindicated
- Avanafil + Clarithromycin Contraindicated
- Cisapride + Clarithromycin Contraindicated
- Clarithromycin + Colchicine Contraindicated
- Clarithromycin + Conivaptan Contraindicated
- Clarithromycin + Dihydroergotamine Contraindicated
Other interactions of Eplerenone
- Amiloride + Eplerenone Contraindicated
- Atazanavir + Eplerenone Contraindicated
- Cobicistat + Eplerenone Contraindicated
- Elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir df + Eplerenone Contraindicated
- Ensitrelvir + Eplerenone Contraindicated
- Eplerenone + Idelalisib Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Clarithromycin with Eplerenone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Clarithromycin and Eplerenone are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Clarithromycin markedly increases eplerenone exposure, raising the risk of hyperkalemia and associated arrhythmia. Eplerenone labeling contraindicates strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as clarithromycin.
How serious is the interaction between Clarithromycin and Eplerenone?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not co-administer; use an antibiotic without strong CYP3A4 inhibition, such as azithromycin, or withhold eplerenone during the course. Check potassium if exposure has occurred.
What other medicines interact with Clarithromycin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Clarithromycin with, for example, Astemizole, Avanafil, Cisapride. The full list is on the Clarithromycin page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
