Drug interactions
Norepinephrine + Pseudoephedrine
Severity: Moderate
Norepinephrine and Pseudoephedrine: 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
Pseudoephedrine can add to the pressor effects of intravenous norepinephrine and may cause excessive hypertension or arrhythmias. Its indirect action may also be blunted when norepinephrine stores are depleted or after prolonged infusion.
What this interaction means in plain words
Norepinephrine and Pseudoephedrine 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 alpha- and beta-adrenergic stimulation, with pseudoephedrine also releasing norepinephrine.
What to do
Avoid giving oral decongestants to patients on norepinephrine infusion. If both are used, titrate norepinephrine to continuously monitored blood pressure.
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 Pseudoephedrine
- Isocarboxazid + Pseudoephedrine Contraindicated
- Phenelzine + Pseudoephedrine Contraindicated
- Pseudoephedrine + Rasagiline Contraindicated
- Pseudoephedrine + Selegiline Contraindicated
- Pseudoephedrine + Selegiline transdermal Contraindicated
- Pseudoephedrine + Tranylcypromine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Norepinephrine with Pseudoephedrine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Norepinephrine and Pseudoephedrine 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. Pseudoephedrine can add to the pressor effects of intravenous norepinephrine and may cause excessive hypertension or arrhythmias. Its indirect action may also be blunted when norepinephrine stores are depleted or after prolonged infusion.
How serious is the interaction between Norepinephrine and Pseudoephedrine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid giving oral decongestants to patients on norepinephrine infusion. If both are used, titrate norepinephrine to continuously monitored blood pressure.
What other medicines interact with Pseudoephedrine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Pseudoephedrine with, for example, Isocarboxazid, Phenelzine, Rasagiline. The full list is on the Pseudoephedrine page.
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