Drug interactions
Clonidine + Oxycodone
Severity: Moderate
Clonidine and Oxycodone: 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
Clonidine and oxycodone both cause sedation and lower blood pressure, so together they may cause marked drowsiness, hypotension, and bradycardia. Clonidine may also be used deliberately with opioids, but dose care is needed.
What this interaction means in plain words
Clonidine and Oxycodone 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.
Clonidine belongs to Cardiovascular; Oxycodone belongs to Musculoskeletal.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depression and hypotension from alpha-2 agonism and opioid effects.
What to do
Monitor sedation, heart rate, and blood pressure, and start with low doses. Reduce one or both drugs if excessive drowsiness or hypotension appears.
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?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Clonidine and Oxycodone, 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 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Oxycodone
- Alvimopan + Oxycodone Contraindicated
- Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates + Oxycodone Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Oxycodone Contraindicated
- Olanzapine / samidorphan + Oxycodone Contraindicated
- Oxycodone + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Oxycodone + Sodium oxybate Contraindicated
Other interactions of Clonidine
- Acebutolol + Clonidine Major
- Amifostine + Clonidine Major
- Amiodarone + Clonidine Major
- Amoxapine + Clonidine Major
- Atenolol-chlorthalidone + Clonidine Major
- Atenolol + Clonidine Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Clonidine with Oxycodone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Clonidine and Oxycodone 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. Clonidine and oxycodone both cause sedation and lower blood pressure, so together they may cause marked drowsiness, hypotension, and bradycardia. Clonidine may also be used deliberately with opioids, but dose care is needed.
How serious is the interaction between Clonidine and Oxycodone?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor sedation, heart rate, and blood pressure, and start with low doses. Reduce one or both drugs if excessive drowsiness or hypotension appears.
What other medicines interact with Oxycodone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Oxycodone with, for example, Alvimopan, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Isocarboxazid. The full list is on the Oxycodone 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.
