Drug interactions
Hydrocodone + Pregabalin
Severity: Major
Hydrocodone and Pregabalin: 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
Pregabalin adds to the sedative and respiratory depressant effects of hydrocodone. The combination can lead to serious breathing suppression, especially in older adults, those with respiratory disease or renal impairment, or at higher doses.
What this interaction means in plain words
Hydrocodone and Pregabalin 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.
Hydrocodone belongs to Musculoskeletal; Pregabalin belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive pharmacodynamic CNS and respiratory depression from opioid and gabapentinoid activity.
What to do
Use the lowest effective doses for the shortest time and monitor for sedation and respiratory depression. Consider reducing the doses of both drugs when starting the combination.
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 Hydrocodone
- Alvimopan + Hydrocodone Contraindicated
- Bupropion-naltrexone + Hydrocodone Contraindicated
- Hydrocodone + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Hydrocodone + Olanzapine / samidorphan Contraindicated
- Hydrocodone + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Alfentanil + Hydrocodone Major
Other interactions of Pregabalin
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Hydrocodone with Pregabalin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Hydrocodone and Pregabalin 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. Pregabalin adds to the sedative and respiratory depressant effects of hydrocodone. The combination can lead to serious breathing suppression, especially in older adults, those with respiratory disease or renal impairment, or at higher doses.
How serious is the interaction between Hydrocodone and Pregabalin?
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 for the shortest time and monitor for sedation and respiratory depression. Consider reducing the doses of both drugs when starting the combination.
What other medicines interact with Hydrocodone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Hydrocodone with, for example, Alvimopan, Bupropion-naltrexone, Isocarboxazid. The full list is on the Hydrocodone page.
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