Drug interactions
Desflurane + Protriptyline
Severity: Moderate
Desflurane and Protriptyline: 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
Protriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that can prolong QT and cause arrhythmias, and desflurane may also lengthen QT and increase sensitivity to catecholamines. Sedative effects may also add up, and arrhythmia or hypotension may occur.
What this interaction means in plain words
Desflurane and Protriptyline 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
Additive QTc prolongation and CNS depression, with tricyclic effects on catecholamine reuptake.
What to do
Monitor the ECG and blood pressure throughout anesthesia, and correct potassium and magnesium beforehand. Avoid large doses of indirect sympathomimetics such as ephedrine.
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 Protriptyline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Desflurane and Protriptyline 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. Protriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that can prolong QT and cause arrhythmias, and desflurane may also lengthen QT and increase sensitivity to catecholamines. Sedative effects may also add up, and arrhythmia or hypotension may occur.
How serious is the interaction between Desflurane and Protriptyline?
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 the ECG and blood pressure throughout anesthesia, and correct potassium and magnesium beforehand. Avoid large doses of indirect sympathomimetics such as ephedrine.
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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