Drug interactions
Desipramine + Ergotamine
Severity: Moderate
Desipramine and Ergotamine: 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
Ergotamine has serotonergic activity and combination with a tricyclic antidepressant may add to serotonergic effects. Both drugs also affect vascular tone and heart rate, so cardiovascular effects may be enhanced.
What this interaction means in plain words
Desipramine and Ergotamine 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.
Desipramine belongs to Central Nervous System; Ergotamine belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive serotonergic and adrenergic effects; desipramine inhibits monoamine reuptake while ergotamine acts at serotonin and adrenergic receptors.
What to do
Monitor for serotonin toxicity and for excessive vasoconstriction such as limb coldness or paresthesia. Use the lowest effective ergotamine dose and limit frequency of use.
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 Desipramine and Ergotamine, 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 Desipramine
- Desipramine + Disopyramide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Dofetilide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Pentamidine Contraindicated
Other interactions of Ergotamine
- Almotriptan + Ergotamine Contraindicated
- Atazanavir + Ergotamine Contraindicated
- Clarithromycin + Ergotamine Contraindicated
- Cobicistat + Ergotamine Contraindicated
- Darunavir + Ergotamine Contraindicated
- Dihydroergotamine intranasal + Ergotamine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Desipramine with Ergotamine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Desipramine and Ergotamine 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. Ergotamine has serotonergic activity and combination with a tricyclic antidepressant may add to serotonergic effects. Both drugs also affect vascular tone and heart rate, so cardiovascular effects may be enhanced.
How serious is the interaction between Desipramine and Ergotamine?
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 for serotonin toxicity and for excessive vasoconstriction such as limb coldness or paresthesia. Use the lowest effective ergotamine dose and limit frequency of use.
What other medicines interact with Desipramine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Desipramine with, for example, Disopyramide, Dofetilide, Ibutilide. The full list is on the Desipramine 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.
