Drug interactions
Meperidine + Pholcodine
Severity: Moderate
Meperidine 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 antitussive, so combining it with meperidine adds to opioid central nervous system depressant effects. This can increase drowsiness and, at higher doses, respiratory depression.
What this interaction means in plain words
Meperidine 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 opioid receptor mediated CNS depression.
What to do
Monitor for excessive sedation and reduced respiratory rate, and use the lowest effective doses. Choose a non-opioid cough remedy where possible.
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 Meperidine
- Alvimopan + Meperidine Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Meperidine Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Olanzapine / samidorphan Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Phenelzine Contraindicated
- Meperidine + Procarbazine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Meperidine with Pholcodine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Meperidine 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 antitussive, so combining it with meperidine adds to opioid central nervous system depressant effects. This can increase drowsiness and, at higher doses, respiratory depression.
How serious is the interaction between Meperidine 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 excessive sedation and reduced respiratory rate, and use the lowest effective doses. Choose a non-opioid cough remedy where possible.
What other medicines interact with Meperidine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Meperidine with, for example, Alvimopan, Isocarboxazid, Methylene blue. The full list is on the Meperidine page.
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