Drug interactions
Saquinavir + Trazodone
Severity: Contraindicated
Saquinavir and Trazodone: 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
Saquinavir, usually given with ritonavir, strongly inhibits CYP3A4 and can markedly raise trazodone concentrations. Saquinavir also prolongs the QT interval, and trazodone has its own arrhythmia potential, so the combination raises the risk of serious ventricular arrhythmias as well as excess sedation and hypotension.
What this interaction means in plain words
Saquinavir and Trazodone 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
Saquinavir inhibits CYP3A4-mediated trazodone metabolism, and both drugs have additive QT-prolonging effects.
What to do
Avoid the combination; choose an antidepressant or sleep agent with less CYP3A4 dependence and lower QT liability. If it cannot be avoided, use a much lower trazodone dose with ECG and electrolyte monitoring.
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 Trazodone
- Arsenic trioxide + Trazodone Contraindicated
- Ibutilide + Trazodone Contraindicated
- Isocarboxazid + Trazodone Contraindicated
- Levoketoconazole + Trazodone Contraindicated
- Methylene blue + Trazodone Contraindicated
- Phenelzine + Trazodone Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Saquinavir with Trazodone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Saquinavir and Trazodone 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. Saquinavir, usually given with ritonavir, strongly inhibits CYP3A4 and can markedly raise trazodone concentrations. Saquinavir also prolongs the QT interval, and trazodone has its own arrhythmia potential, so the combination raises the risk of serious ventricular arrhythmias as well as excess sedation and hypotension.
How serious is the interaction between Saquinavir and Trazodone?
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; choose an antidepressant or sleep agent with less CYP3A4 dependence and lower QT liability. If it cannot be avoided, use a much lower trazodone dose with ECG and electrolyte monitoring.
What other medicines interact with Trazodone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Trazodone with, for example, Arsenic trioxide, Ibutilide, Isocarboxazid. The full list is on the Trazodone page.
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