Drug interactions
Desipramine + Pentamidine
Severity: Contraindicated
Desipramine and Pentamidine: contraindicated 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
Both drugs can prolong the QT interval, and pentamidine has been associated with torsades de pointes. The combination increases the risk of life-threatening arrhythmia.
What this interaction means in plain words
Desipramine and Pentamidine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Desipramine belongs to Central Nervous System; Pentamidine belongs to Anti Parasitic.
Why it happens
Additive QT prolongation.
What to do
Avoid the combination. If pentamidine is essential, consider withholding desipramine and monitor ECG and electrolytes.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Desipramine
- Desipramine + Disopyramide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Dofetilide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Ibutilide Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Desipramine + Phenelzine Contraindicated
Other interactions of Pentamidine
- Clomipramine + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Moxifloxacin + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Nortriptyline + Pentamidine Contraindicated
- Pentamidine + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Pentamidine + Thioridazine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Desipramine with Pentamidine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Desipramine and Pentamidine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Both drugs can prolong the QT interval, and pentamidine has been associated with torsades de pointes. The combination increases the risk of life-threatening arrhythmia.
How serious is the interaction between Desipramine and Pentamidine?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination. If pentamidine is essential, consider withholding desipramine and monitor ECG and electrolytes.
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.
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