Drug
Fentanyl
Pronounced
"FEN-tuh-nill"
Drug Interactions
See also Warning section.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug include: certain pain medications (mixed opioid agonist-antagonists such as butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine), naltrexone, samidorphan.
Other medications can affect the removal of fentanyl from your body, which may affect how fentanyl works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as itraconazole, ketoconazole), calcium channel blockers (such as diltiazem, verapamil), HIV protease inhibitors (such as nelfinavir), macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), mifepristone, nefazodone, rifamycins (such as rifabutin), ritonavir, certain drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin), among others.
Taking MAO inhibitors with this medication may cause a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction. Avoid taking MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, metaxalone, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline, tranylcypromine) during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before treatment with this medication. Ask your doctor when to start or stop taking this medication.
The risk of serious side effects (such as slow/shallow breathing, severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased if this medication is used with other products that may also cause drowsiness or breathing problems. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products such as other opioid pain or cough relievers (such as codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana (cannabis), drugs for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, lorazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants (such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), or antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).
Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.
The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity increases if you are also taking other drugs that increase serotonin. Some examples are street drugs such as MDMA/ "ecstasy," St. John's wort, certain antidepressants (such as SSRIs like fluoxetine/paroxetine, SNRIs like duloxetine/venlafaxine), among others. The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity may be more likely when you start or increase the dose of these drugs.
This medication may interfere with certain lab tests (such as amylase/lipase levels), possibly causing false test results. Make sure lab personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.
Negative Interactions
3- Reduces Effectiveness
Fentanyl
Apples
Drinking grapefruit juice, orange juice, or apple juice with fexofenadine decreases blood levels of the drug.
ApplesFentanyl- Dresser GK, Bailey DG, Leake BF, et al. Fruit juices inhibit organic anion transporting polypeptide-mediated drug uptake to decrease the oral availability of fexofenadine. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2002;71:11-20.
- Dresser GK, Kim RB, Bailey DG. Effect of grapefruit juice volume on the reduction of fexofenadine bioavailability: possible role of organic anion transporting polypeptides. Clin PharmacolTher2005;77:170-7.
- Reduces Effectiveness
Fentanyl
Grapefruit
Drinking grapefruit juice, orange juice, or apple juice with fexofenadine decreases blood levels of the drug.
GrapefruitFentanyl- Dresser GK, Bailey DG, Leake BF, et al. Fruit juices inhibit organic anion transporting polypeptide-mediated drug uptake to decrease the oral availability of fexofenadine. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2002;71:11-20.
- Dresser GK, Kim RB, Bailey DG. Effect of grapefruit juice volume on the reduction of fexofenadine bioavailability: possible role of organic anion transporting polypeptides. Clin PharmacolTher2005;77:170-7.
- Reduces Effectiveness
Fentanyl
Oranges
Drinking grapefruit juice, orange juice, or apple juice with fexofenadine decreases blood levels of the drug.
OrangesFentanyl- Dresser GK, Bailey DG, Leake BF, et al. Fruit juices inhibit organic anion transporting polypeptide-mediated drug uptake to decrease the oral availability of fexofenadine. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2002;71:11-20.
- Dresser GK, Kim RB, Bailey DG. Effect of grapefruit juice volume on the reduction of fexofenadine bioavailability: possible role of organic anion transporting polypeptides. Clin PharmacolTher2005;77:170-7.
Supportive Interactions
2- Support Medicine
Fentanyl
Magnesium
One double-blind study showed that giving magnesium intravenously before surgery dramatically reduced the amount of fentanyl needed to control pain during and after an operation. Further research is needed to determine whether people using fentanyl patches might benefit from supplementing with oral magnesium.
MagnesiumFentanyl- Koinig H, Wallner T, Marhofer P, et al. Magnesium sulfate reduces intra- and postoperative analgesic requirements. Anesth Analg 1998;87:206-10.
- Reduce Side Effects
Fentanyl
Fiber
This interaction is based on this drug belonging to a drug class. While this drug may differ from the text and references below, drugs within this class work in a similar way and this interaction is applicable to drugs within the same class.
Propoxyphene may cause gastrointestinal (GI) upset. Propoxyphene-containing products may be taken with food to reduce or prevent GI upset. A common side effect of narcotic analgesics is constipation. Increasing dietary fiber (especially vegetables and whole-grain foods) and water intake can ease constipation.
FiberFentanyl- Threlkeld DS, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Narcotic Agonist Analgesics. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, Feb 1990, 242-3v.