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Drug interactions

Esketamine + Gabapentin enacarbil

Severity: Moderate

Esketamine and Gabapentin enacarbil: 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

Gabapentinoids and esketamine both depress the CNS, and combined use may cause deeper sedation and, rarely, respiratory depression. Risk is higher in older patients and those with respiratory or renal impairment.

What this interaction means in plain words

Esketamine and Gabapentin enacarbil 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.

Esketamine belongs to Central Nervous System; Gabapentin enacarbil belongs to Central Nervous System.

Evidence level: Moderate

Why it happens

Additive CNS and respiratory depressant effects.

What to do

Use the lowest effective gabapentin enacarbil dose and monitor sedation and respiratory status during and after esketamine dosing. Counsel patients regarding driving.

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.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I take Esketamine with Gabapentin enacarbil?

MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Esketamine and Gabapentin enacarbil 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. Gabapentinoids and esketamine both depress the CNS, and combined use may cause deeper sedation and, rarely, respiratory depression. Risk is higher in older patients and those with respiratory or renal impairment.

How serious is the interaction between Esketamine and Gabapentin enacarbil?

MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Use the lowest effective gabapentin enacarbil dose and monitor sedation and respiratory status during and after esketamine dosing. Counsel patients regarding driving.

What other medicines interact with Esketamine?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Esketamine with, for example, Alfentanil, Amobarbital, Belladonna and opium. The full list is on the Esketamine page.

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