Drug interactions
Loxapine + Pholcodine
Severity: Moderate
Loxapine and Pholcodine: 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
Pholcodine is an opioid cough suppressant with sedative properties, and combined with loxapine it may increase drowsiness and, at higher doses, respiratory depression. The effect is usually modest at antitussive doses.
What this interaction means in plain words
Loxapine and Pholcodine 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.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depression from opioid activity and antipsychotic sedation.
What to do
Monitor for excess sedation and advise against driving if drowsy. Keep pholcodine at the lowest dose and for the shortest time.
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?
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Other interactions of Loxapine
- Alfentanil + Loxapine Major
- Alprazolam + Loxapine Major
- Amisulpride + Loxapine Major
- Amoxapine + Loxapine Major
- Apomorphine + Loxapine Major
- Belladonna and opium + Loxapine Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Loxapine with Pholcodine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Loxapine and Pholcodine 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. Pholcodine is an opioid cough suppressant with sedative properties, and combined with loxapine it may increase drowsiness and, at higher doses, respiratory depression. The effect is usually modest at antitussive doses.
How serious is the interaction between Loxapine and Pholcodine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor for excess sedation and advise against driving if drowsy. Keep pholcodine at the lowest dose and for the shortest time.
What other medicines interact with Loxapine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Loxapine with, for example, Alfentanil, Alprazolam, Amisulpride. The full list is on the Loxapine page.
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