Drug interactions
Meperidine + Selegiline transdermal
Severity: Contraindicated
Meperidine and Selegiline transdermal: 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
Combining meperidine with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor can provoke serotonin syndrome or severe excitatory reactions with agitation, hyperthermia, rigidity and hypertension. Transdermal selegiline is selective at low doses but loses selectivity at higher doses, and labeling contraindicates meperidine.
What this interaction means in plain words
Meperidine and Selegiline transdermal 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.
Why it happens
MAO inhibition combined with meperidine's serotonergic activity leads to excess serotonergic activity in the CNS.
What to do
Do not co-administer, and avoid meperidine for at least 14 days after stopping selegiline. Use a non-serotonergic opioid if analgesia is needed.
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?
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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 Selegiline transdermal?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Meperidine and Selegiline transdermal 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. Combining meperidine with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor can provoke serotonin syndrome or severe excitatory reactions with agitation, hyperthermia, rigidity and hypertension. Transdermal selegiline is selective at low doses but loses selectivity at higher doses, and labeling contraindicates meperidine.
How serious is the interaction between Meperidine and Selegiline transdermal?
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, and avoid meperidine for at least 14 days after stopping selegiline. Use a non-serotonergic opioid if analgesia is needed.
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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