Clonidine interaction with other drugs

Clonidine Inhibits adenylyl cyclase and interacts with other intracellular pathways Vasoconstriction is masked by central sympatholytic effect, which lowers BP Hypertension Oral transdermal peak effect 1-3 h half-life of oral drug 12 h produces dry mouth and sedation... 

Tricyclic drug interactions (Table 30-3) include additive depression of the CNS with other central depressants, including ethanol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and opioids. Tricyclics may also cause reversal of the antih)pertensive action of guanethidine by blocking its transport into sympathetic nerve endings. Less commonly, tricyclics may interfere with the antihypertensive actions of methylnorepinephrine (the active metabolite of methyl-dopa) and clonidine. 

Its duration of action is 60-120 minutes, depending on the vascularity of the site blocked as well as added adjuvants such as epinephrine. The drug is 70% protein-bound, with 30% in the free unbound form. It is this 30% that is rapidly cleared by the systemic circulation for hepatic metabolism. The vasoconstrictive properties of epinephrine help to decrease this systemic uptake of the drug and thus to prolong its duration of action. Other adjuvants such as the alpha-2 receptor agonists clonidine and dexmedetomidine have been studied recently and found to prolong the duration of action of lidocaine. Their mechanism of action (specific receptor vs. pharmacokinetic/phar-macodynamic interaction with local anesthetics) and site (central vs. peripheral) of action have not been fully elucidated [6-8]. 

Numerous drug-drug interactions have been reported with the antipsychotic agents. These may be mediated through pharmacodynamic effects. For example, antipsychotics that block aj-adrenergic receptors may potentiate the antihypertensive effects of prazosin, labetalol, and some other antihypertensive agents. Conversely, antipsychotics associated with a2-adrenergic receptor blockade may interfere with the antihypertensive effects of clonidine and methyldopa (Richelson, 1999). 

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