Drug interactions
Desflurane + Dexfenfluramine
Severity: Moderate
Desflurane and Dexfenfluramine: 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
Dexfenfluramine is a serotonergic anorectic that has been withdrawn in most markets. Its combination with desflurane could in theory cause hemodynamic instability and arrhythmias, but the interaction is not well documented.
What this interaction means in plain words
Desflurane and Dexfenfluramine 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.
Why it happens
The mechanism is not established; possible sympathetic and serotonergic effects combined with myocardial sensitization by the anesthetic.
What to do
Monitor blood pressure and ECG throughout anesthesia and treat arrhythmias or blood pressure swings promptly. Check whether the patient has taken the drug recently.
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 Desflurane
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Desflurane with Dexfenfluramine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Desflurane and Dexfenfluramine 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. Dexfenfluramine is a serotonergic anorectic that has been withdrawn in most markets. Its combination with desflurane could in theory cause hemodynamic instability and arrhythmias, but the interaction is not well documented.
How serious is the interaction between Desflurane and Dexfenfluramine?
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 and ECG throughout anesthesia and treat arrhythmias or blood pressure swings promptly. Check whether the patient has taken the drug recently.
What other medicines interact with Desflurane?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Desflurane with, for example, Amisulpride, Anagrelide, Arsenic trioxide. The full list is on the Desflurane page.
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