Drug interactions
Pimozide + Primaquine
Severity: Contraindicated
Pimozide and Primaquine: 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
Both drugs can prolong the QT interval, and pimozide carries a notable risk of torsades de pointes. Giving them together raises the chance of a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia.
What this interaction means in plain words
Pimozide and Primaquine 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.
Pimozide belongs to Central Nervous System; Primaquine belongs to Anti Parasitic.
Why it happens
Additive pharmacodynamic QT prolongation through cardiac repolarization (potassium channel) blockade.
What to do
Avoid the combination and choose an alternative antimalarial for radical cure if pimozide is required. If unavoidable, obtain a baseline ECG and correct potassium and magnesium before treatment.
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 Primaquine
Other interactions of Pimozide
- Adagrasib + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amiodarone + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amisulpride + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amitriptyline + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amoxapine + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Anagrelide + Pimozide Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Pimozide with Primaquine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Pimozide and Primaquine 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. Both drugs can prolong the QT interval, and pimozide carries a notable risk of torsades de pointes. Giving them together raises the chance of a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia.
How serious is the interaction between Pimozide and Primaquine?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination and choose an alternative antimalarial for radical cure if pimozide is required. If unavoidable, obtain a baseline ECG and correct potassium and magnesium before treatment.
What other medicines interact with Primaquine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Primaquine with, for example, Amiodarone, Amisulpride, Anagrelide. The full list is on the Primaquine page.
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