Drug interactions
Clarithromycin + Ibutilide
Severity: Contraindicated
Clarithromycin and Ibutilide: 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
Both drugs prolong the QT interval and the combination increases the risk of torsades de pointes. Ibutilide itself has a substantial proarrhythmic risk even without other QT-prolonging drugs.
What this interaction means in plain words
Clarithromycin and Ibutilide 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; Ibutilide belongs to Cardiovascular.
Why it happens
Additive pharmacodynamic QT prolongation.
What to do
Avoid the combination; hold clarithromycin or choose a non-QT-prolonging antibiotic when cardioversion with ibutilide is planned.
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 Ibutilide, 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 Ibutilide
- Amiodarone + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Amisulpride + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Chlorpromazine + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Dolasetron + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Ibutilide Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Clarithromycin with Ibutilide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Clarithromycin and Ibutilide 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. Both drugs prolong the QT interval and the combination increases the risk of torsades de pointes. Ibutilide itself has a substantial proarrhythmic risk even without other QT-prolonging drugs.
How serious is the interaction between Clarithromycin and Ibutilide?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination; hold clarithromycin or choose a non-QT-prolonging antibiotic when cardioversion with ibutilide is planned.
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.
