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Drug interactions

Gemtuzumab + Methadone

Severity: Moderate

Gemtuzumab and Methadone: 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

Both agents can prolong the QT interval. Combined use may raise the risk of torsades de pointes, particularly with electrolyte disturbances or heart disease.

What this interaction means in plain words

Gemtuzumab and Methadone 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.

Evidence level: Low

Why it happens

Additive QT prolongation, with methadone blocking the hERG potassium channel; gemtuzumab ozogamicin has been associated with QT prolongation.

What to do

Obtain a baseline ECG and monitor it periodically during treatment. Correct potassium and magnesium abnormalities and reassess the methadone dose if the QTc becomes markedly prolonged.

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 Gemtuzumab with Methadone?

MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Gemtuzumab and Methadone 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. Both agents can prolong the QT interval. Combined use may raise the risk of torsades de pointes, particularly with electrolyte disturbances or heart disease.

How serious is the interaction between Gemtuzumab and Methadone?

MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Obtain a baseline ECG and monitor it periodically during treatment. Correct potassium and magnesium abnormalities and reassess the methadone dose if the QTc becomes markedly prolonged.

What other medicines interact with Methadone?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Methadone with, for example, Alvimopan, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Droperidol. The full list is on the Methadone page.

Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app

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