Drug interactions
Clonidine + Remifentanil
Severity: Moderate
Clonidine and Remifentanil: 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 has sedative and sympatholytic effects and also lowers opioid requirements. With remifentanil it can increase sedation, hypotension and bradycardia, and may deepen respiratory depression.
What this interaction means in plain words
Clonidine and Remifentanil 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; Remifentanil belongs to Musculoskeletal.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depression and sympatholysis from alpha-2 agonism combined with mu-opioid agonism.
What to do
Monitor blood pressure, heart rate and sedation, and reduce the remifentanil infusion rate as needed. Be ready to treat hypotension or bradycardia.
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 Remifentanil, 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 Remifentanil
- Alvimopan + Remifentanil Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Remifentanil Contraindicated
- Olanzapine / samidorphan + Remifentanil Contraindicated
- Phenelzine + Remifentanil Contraindicated
- Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen + Remifentanil Major
- Brexanolone + Remifentanil Major
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 Remifentanil?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Clonidine and Remifentanil 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 has sedative and sympatholytic effects and also lowers opioid requirements. With remifentanil it can increase sedation, hypotension and bradycardia, and may deepen respiratory depression.
How serious is the interaction between Clonidine and Remifentanil?
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 blood pressure, heart rate and sedation, and reduce the remifentanil infusion rate as needed. Be ready to treat hypotension or bradycardia.
What other medicines interact with Remifentanil?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Remifentanil with, for example, Alvimopan, Isocarboxazid, Olanzapine / samidorphan. The full list is on the Remifentanil 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.
