Drug interactions
Desflurane + Labetalol
Severity: Moderate
Desflurane and Labetalol: 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
Volatile anesthetics such as desflurane cause vasodilation and myocardial depression, which add to labetalol's hypotensive and negative inotropic effects. Significant intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia may occur.
What this interaction means in plain words
Desflurane and Labetalol 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.
Desflurane belongs to Central Nervous System; Labetalol belongs to Cardiovascular.
Why it happens
Additive vasodilation and cardiac depression from anesthetic action and alpha/beta adrenergic blockade.
What to do
Inform the anesthesia team of labetalol therapy and titrate anesthetic depth with continuous blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. Have vasopressors and anticholinergics available.
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 Desflurane and Labetalol, 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 Labetalol
- Amifostine + Labetalol Major
- Amiodarone + Labetalol Major
- Atenolol-chlorthalidone + Labetalol Major
- Atenolol + Labetalol Major
- Betaxolol + Labetalol Major
- Bisoprolol + Labetalol Major
Other interactions of Desflurane
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Desflurane with Labetalol?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Desflurane and Labetalol 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. Volatile anesthetics such as desflurane cause vasodilation and myocardial depression, which add to labetalol's hypotensive and negative inotropic effects. Significant intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia may occur.
How serious is the interaction between Desflurane and Labetalol?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Inform the anesthesia team of labetalol therapy and titrate anesthetic depth with continuous blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. Have vasopressors and anticholinergics available.
What other medicines interact with Labetalol?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Labetalol with, for example, Amifostine, Amiodarone, Atenolol-chlorthalidone. The full list is on the Labetalol 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.
