Drug interactions
Erythromycin base + Roflumilast
Severity: Moderate
Erythromycin base and Roflumilast: 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
Erythromycin inhibits CYP3A4 and may raise roflumilast and N-oxide exposure. This may increase adverse effects such as diarrhea, nausea, weight loss, insomnia and headache.
What this interaction means in plain words
Erythromycin base and Roflumilast 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
Erythromycin inhibits CYP3A4, reducing roflumilast metabolism.
What to do
Monitor for gastrointestinal, psychiatric and sleep adverse effects and weight loss. Consider an alternative antibiotic such as a non-inhibiting agent if tolerability worsens.
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 Roflumilast
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Erythromycin base with Roflumilast?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Erythromycin base and Roflumilast 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 inhibits CYP3A4 and may raise roflumilast and N-oxide exposure. This may increase adverse effects such as diarrhea, nausea, weight loss, insomnia and headache.
How serious is the interaction between Erythromycin base and Roflumilast?
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 gastrointestinal, psychiatric and sleep adverse effects and weight loss. Consider an alternative antibiotic such as a non-inhibiting agent if tolerability worsens.
What other medicines interact with Roflumilast?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Roflumilast with, for example, Apalutamide, Carbamazepine, Efavirenz. The full list is on the Roflumilast page.
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