Drug interactions
Gabapentin + Oxazepam
Severity: Major
Gabapentin and Oxazepam: major 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
Gabapentin and benzodiazepines such as oxazepam both cause sedation, and together they can cause profound sedation and respiratory depression. Regulators have warned about gabapentinoid-related respiratory depression, particularly in older adults and those with lung disease.
What this interaction means in plain words
Gabapentin and Oxazepam can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for.
Gabapentin belongs to Central Nervous System; Oxazepam belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive CNS and respiratory depression via different pathways (GABA-A potentiation and alpha-2-delta calcium channel modulation).
What to do
Use the lowest effective doses of both and monitor for sedation and respiratory depression, especially in older patients or those with COPD or on other depressants.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Does the benefit of taking both outweigh the risk in my case?
- Do I need any blood test, ECG or other check while on both?
- What early warning signs should I watch for, and what should I do if they appear?
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Other interactions of Oxazepam
- Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates + Oxazepam Contraindicated
- Oxazepam + Sodium oxybate Contraindicated
- Alfentanil + Oxazepam Major
- Amobarbital + Oxazepam Major
- Baclofen + Oxazepam Major
- Belladonna and opium + Oxazepam Major
Other interactions of Gabapentin
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Gabapentin with Oxazepam?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Gabapentin and Oxazepam can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for. Gabapentin and benzodiazepines such as oxazepam both cause sedation, and together they can cause profound sedation and respiratory depression. Regulators have warned about gabapentinoid-related respiratory depression, particularly in older adults and those with lung disease.
How serious is the interaction between Gabapentin and Oxazepam?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Use the lowest effective doses of both and monitor for sedation and respiratory depression, especially in older patients or those with COPD or on other depressants.
What other medicines interact with Oxazepam?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Oxazepam with, for example, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Sodium oxybate, Alfentanil. The full list is on the Oxazepam page.
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