Drug interactions
Selegiline transdermal + Trazodone
Severity: Contraindicated
Selegiline transdermal 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
Transdermal selegiline, used for depression, is an MAO inhibitor and its labeling contraindicates use with serotonergic antidepressants. Combining it with trazodone risks serotonin syndrome and hypertensive reactions.
What this interaction means in plain words
Selegiline transdermal 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
MAO inhibition by selegiline combined with serotonergic activity of trazodone causes excessive serotonergic stimulation.
What to do
Do not use together. Allow an appropriate washout (at least 2 weeks after stopping an MAOI before starting trazodone, and an adequate interval after stopping trazodone) before switching.
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 Selegiline transdermal with Trazodone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Selegiline transdermal 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. Transdermal selegiline, used for depression, is an MAO inhibitor and its labeling contraindicates use with serotonergic antidepressants. Combining it with trazodone risks serotonin syndrome and hypertensive reactions.
How serious is the interaction between Selegiline transdermal 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: Do not use together. Allow an appropriate washout (at least 2 weeks after stopping an MAOI before starting trazodone, and an adequate interval after stopping trazodone) before switching.
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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