Drug interactions
Sulfasalazine + Tolbutamide
Severity: Moderate
Sulfasalazine 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
Sulfasalazine has been associated with enhanced sulfonylurea effects and hypoglycemia. The clinical significance is generally modest but can matter in vulnerable patients.
What this interaction means in plain words
Sulfasalazine 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.
Why it happens
The mechanism is not well established; sulfonamide-related CYP2C9 inhibition or protein-binding displacement is possible.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose when starting or stopping sulfasalazine and reduce the tolbutamide dose if hypoglycemia occurs.
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 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 Sulfasalazine with Tolbutamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Sulfasalazine 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. Sulfasalazine has been associated with enhanced sulfonylurea effects and hypoglycemia. The clinical significance is generally modest but can matter in vulnerable patients.
How serious is the interaction between Sulfasalazine 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 starting or stopping sulfasalazine and reduce the tolbutamide dose if hypoglycemia occurs.
What other medicines interact with Tolbutamide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tolbutamide with, for example, Glyburide-metformin, Insulin degludec-liraglutide, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Tolbutamide page.
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