Drug interactions
Somatropin + Tolbutamide
Severity: Moderate
Somatropin and Tolbutamide: 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
Somatropin can cause insulin resistance and raise blood glucose, which may blunt the effect of tolbutamide. Glycemic control can deteriorate after growth hormone is started or increased.
What this interaction means in plain words
Somatropin and Tolbutamide 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.
Somatropin belongs to Endocrine; Tolbutamide belongs to Endocrine.
Why it happens
Pharmacodynamic antagonism: growth hormone decreases insulin sensitivity, opposing the glucose-lowering effect of tolbutamide.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose when somatropin therapy begins or its dose changes. Adjust tolbutamide dosing accordingly and watch for hypoglycemia if growth hormone is reduced.
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 Somatropin
- Acarbose + Somatropin Moderate
- Albiglutide + Somatropin Moderate
- Alogliptin-metformin + Somatropin Moderate
- Alogliptin-pioglitazone + Somatropin Moderate
- Alogliptin + Somatropin Moderate
- Betamethasone + Somatropin Moderate
Other interactions of Tolbutamide
- Glyburide-metformin + Tolbutamide Major
- Insulin degludec-liraglutide + Tolbutamide Major
- Aceclofenac + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Acemetacin + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Albiglutide + Tolbutamide Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Somatropin with Tolbutamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Somatropin and Tolbutamide 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. Somatropin can cause insulin resistance and raise blood glucose, which may blunt the effect of tolbutamide. Glycemic control can deteriorate after growth hormone is started or increased.
How serious is the interaction between Somatropin and Tolbutamide?
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 glucose when somatropin therapy begins or its dose changes. Adjust tolbutamide dosing accordingly and watch for hypoglycemia if growth hormone is reduced.
What other medicines interact with Somatropin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Somatropin with, for example, Acarbose, Albiglutide, Alogliptin-metformin. The full list is on the Somatropin page.
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