Strattera Drug Interactions

by on June 2, 2012

Drug interactions occur when a patient takes two or more drugs which affect each other’s functioning. This can have two main effects on the patient: either one or both of the drugs may stop working properly, meaning that the patient is left without proper treatment, or one or both drugs end up working too much and the patient suffers multiple side-effects. These side-effects can sometimes have serious negative consequences. In some cases as a result of these interactions your doctor may have to take you off one of your medications, change you to another medication, or adjust the doses of your medications to limit these negative effects resulting from the drug interactions.

You should always tell your physician that you are taking Strattera, and also inform your pharmacist when buying over the counter medications to prevent drug interactions.

The following common medications may cause serious interactions when taken with Strattera:

  • Celebrex
  • Tagamet
  • Adriamycin
  • Methadone
  • Reglan
  • Quinidine
  • Ritonavir
  • Zantac
  • Lamisil
  • Antihistamines or sleep medicines containing diphenhydramine such as Benadryl

Significant Strattera Drug Interactions

Strattera interacts negatively with a number of different types of medication. The most common interaction between Strattera and other medications is to cause irregular heartbeats.

Antiarrythmics - arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats. If you take certain these medications designed to treat arrhythmias with Strattera, you can actually end up having irregular heartbeats.

  • Amiodarone
  • Disopyramide
  • Sotalol

Antidepressants- Strattera interacts with the tricyclic class of antidepressants to increase the risk of an irregular heartbeat.

  • Amitriptyline
  • Clomipramine
  • Dosulepin
  • Doxapin
  • Imipramine
  • Lofepramine
  • Nortryptiline
  • Trimipramine

Certain other SSRI or SNRI antidepressants like Cymbalta, Lexapro, Prozac, Citalopram (Celexa) and Zoloft (Sertaline)

Antipsychotics- there is an increased risk of an irregular heartbeat when Strattera is taken with these medications. Some of the most common antipsychotics are given below.

  • Haloperidol (Haldol)
  • Prochlorperizine
  • Aripiprazole (Abilify)
  • Clozapine (Clozaril)
  • Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
  • Risperidone (Risperdal)

Beta-agonists- taking medications from this group of asthma drugs can affect your heart rate and blood pressure. These effects are only significant if you take the medication as a tablet or by a drip, rather than inhaled as they normally are.

  • Albuterol
  • Formoterol
  • Salbutamol
  • Salmeterol

Diuretics- when you take Strattera with these water tablets, it decreases a substance in the blood called potassium, which can again lead to irregular heart rhythms. Common diuretics are given below.

  • Bendroflumethiazide
  • Bumetanide
  • Furosemide (Lasix)

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors- you should not take these medications together because of the effect on brain chemicals. You should wait two weeks after taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor before starting Strattera, and two weeks after finishing Strattera to take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. If you take these medications together or within two weeks of each other, you will experience severe reactions including agitation, changes in behaviour, delirium, coma, muscle rigidity, muscle spasms, and alterations in your vital signs.

  • Rasagiline
  • Selegiline
  • Moclobemide
  • Phenelzine
  • Isocarboxazid
  • Tranylcypromine

Miscellaneous- Strattera also interacts with a few other individual medications.

  • Erythromycin- taking this commonly used antibiotic and Strattera can result in heart arrhythmias. This only occurs if you take the medication by a drip into a vein, not if you take it as tablets orally.
  • Methloquine- this medication is used to prevent and treat malaria. Taking this and Strattera increases the risk of irregular heartbeats.
  • Methadone: this drug is used in the treatment of heroin addiction, for managing severe pain and sometimes to treat a long-term cough. If used with Strattera, you may experience irregular heartbeats.
  • Mofiloxacin- taking this antibiotic and Strattera again increases the risk of heart arrhythmias.

The best way to avoid any side effects associated with drug interactions is for patients to provide a complete list of prescription and over-the-counter medications they are taking or have taken in the past to their doctors and pharmacists.