Drug interactions
Nicardipine + Phenobarbital
Severity: Moderate
Nicardipine and Phenobarbital: 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
Phenobarbital is an enzyme inducer and can reduce nicardipine exposure, which may lead to loss of antihypertensive or antianginal effect. The effect develops over days to weeks and fades after phenobarbital is stopped.
What this interaction means in plain words
Nicardipine and Phenobarbital 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
Phenobarbital induces CYP3A4, increasing nicardipine clearance.
What to do
Monitor blood pressure and anginal symptoms and increase nicardipine dose if needed. Reduce the dose again if phenobarbital is discontinued.
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?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Nicardipine and Phenobarbital, 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 Nicardipine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Nicardipine with Phenobarbital?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Nicardipine and Phenobarbital 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. Phenobarbital is an enzyme inducer and can reduce nicardipine exposure, which may lead to loss of antihypertensive or antianginal effect. The effect develops over days to weeks and fades after phenobarbital is stopped.
How serious is the interaction between Nicardipine and Phenobarbital?
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 blood pressure and anginal symptoms and increase nicardipine dose if needed. Reduce the dose again if phenobarbital is discontinued.
What other medicines interact with Nicardipine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Nicardipine with, for example, Amifostine, Amlodipine-olmesartan-hydrochlorothiazide, Betrixaban. The full list is on the Nicardipine 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.
