Skip to content

Drug interactions

Erythromycin + Octreotide

Severity: Moderate

Erythromycin and Octreotide: 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

Octreotide can cause bradycardia and QT prolongation, and combining it with erythromycin may add to arrhythmia risk. The risk is greater with electrolyte imbalance or heart disease.

What this interaction means in plain words

Erythromycin and Octreotide 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.

Erythromycin belongs to Anti Bacterial; Octreotide belongs to Endocrine.

Evidence level: Low

Why it happens

Additive effects on cardiac repolarization, with octreotide-related bradycardia contributing to risk.

What to do

Check ECG and electrolytes at baseline in at-risk patients. Monitor heart rate and QTc during combined 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?

Bring a full list of your medicines, including over-the-counter products, supplements and herbal remedies, to every pharmacy visit.

Pro+ members

Unlock the full page

Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Erythromycin and Octreotide, 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.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take Erythromycin with Octreotide?

MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Erythromycin and Octreotide 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. Octreotide can cause bradycardia and QT prolongation, and combining it with erythromycin may add to arrhythmia risk. The risk is greater with electrolyte imbalance or heart disease.

How serious is the interaction between Erythromycin and Octreotide?

MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Check ECG and electrolytes at baseline in at-risk patients. Monitor heart rate and QTc during combined use.

What other medicines interact with Erythromycin?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Erythromycin with, for example, Conivaptan, Dihydroergotamine intranasal, Dihydroergotamine. The full list is on the Erythromycin 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.

Browse A–Z · Drug interactions

Get the app Sign in