Drug interactions
Didanosine + Hydroxycarbamide
Severity: Contraindicated
Didanosine and Hydroxycarbamide: 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
Combining hydroxycarbamide with didanosine has been associated with pancreatitis, hepatotoxicity and peripheral neuropathy, some fatal. The combination also appears to worsen immunologic outcomes in HIV.
What this interaction means in plain words
Didanosine and Hydroxycarbamide 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.
Didanosine belongs to Anti Virals; Hydroxycarbamide belongs to Oncology.
Why it happens
Overlapping toxicities, with hydroxycarbamide possibly increasing didanosine active metabolite activity and mitochondrial toxicity.
What to do
Avoid the combination and use alternative antiretrovirals without these toxicities. Monitor lipase, liver enzymes and neurologic symptoms if prior exposure occurred.
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 Hydroxycarbamide
- Hydroxycarbamide + Stavudine Contraindicated
Other interactions of Didanosine
- Didanosine + Elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir df Contraindicated
- Didanosine + Hydroxyurea Contraindicated
- Didanosine + Ribavirin Contraindicated
- Didanosine + Stavudine Contraindicated
- Allopurinol + Didanosine Major
- Atidarsagene autotemcel + Didanosine Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Didanosine with Hydroxycarbamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Didanosine and Hydroxycarbamide 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. Combining hydroxycarbamide with didanosine has been associated with pancreatitis, hepatotoxicity and peripheral neuropathy, some fatal. The combination also appears to worsen immunologic outcomes in HIV.
How serious is the interaction between Didanosine and Hydroxycarbamide?
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 and use alternative antiretrovirals without these toxicities. Monitor lipase, liver enzymes and neurologic symptoms if prior exposure occurred.
What other medicines interact with Hydroxycarbamide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Hydroxycarbamide with, for example, Stavudine. The full list is on the Hydroxycarbamide page.
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