Drug interactions
Hydroxychloroquine + Pimozide
Severity: Contraindicated
Hydroxychloroquine and Pimozide: contraindicated 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
Pimozide has a marked QT-prolonging effect and hydroxychloroquine adds to this, increasing the chance of torsades de pointes and sudden cardiac death. Pimozide labeling cautions against combination with other QT-prolonging drugs.
What this interaction means in plain words
Hydroxychloroquine and Pimozide are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Hydroxychloroquine belongs to Musculoskeletal; Pimozide belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Additive QT prolongation via hERG potassium channel blockade.
What to do
Do not co-administer; select an alternative antimalarial or antirheumatic agent, or a different antipsychotic, in place of one of the two.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Hydroxychloroquine and Pimozide, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Hydroxychloroquine
- Arsenic trioxide + Hydroxychloroquine Contraindicated
- Cisapride + Hydroxychloroquine Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Hydroxychloroquine Contraindicated
- Hydroxychloroquine + Thioridazine Contraindicated
- Hydroxychloroquine + Vandetanib Contraindicated
- Adagrasib + Hydroxychloroquine Major
Other interactions of Pimozide
- Adagrasib + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amiodarone + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amisulpride + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amitriptyline + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amoxapine + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Anagrelide + Pimozide Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Hydroxychloroquine with Pimozide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Hydroxychloroquine and Pimozide are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Pimozide has a marked QT-prolonging effect and hydroxychloroquine adds to this, increasing the chance of torsades de pointes and sudden cardiac death. Pimozide labeling cautions against combination with other QT-prolonging drugs.
How serious is the interaction between Hydroxychloroquine and Pimozide?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not co-administer; select an alternative antimalarial or antirheumatic agent, or a different antipsychotic, in place of one of the two.
What other medicines interact with Hydroxychloroquine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Hydroxychloroquine with, for example, Arsenic trioxide, Cisapride, Dronedarone. The full list is on the Hydroxychloroquine page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
