Midazolam with itraconazole

Itraconazole, an inhibitor of CYP3A, and rifampicin, an inducer of CYP3A, altered the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oral midazolam in nine healthy volunteers (54). The half-life was prolonged from 2.7 to 7.6 hours by itraconazole and reduced to 1.0 hour by rifampicin. These effects were still present, although less marked, at 4 days after withdrawal of itraconazole and rifampicin. Similarly, after acute administration, the period of drowsiness was increased from 76 to 201 minutes with itraconazole and fell to 35 minutes with rifampicin the effects were again less marked 4 days after withdrawal. 

Backman JT, Kivisto KT, Olkkola KT, Neuvonen PJ. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve for oral midazolam is 400-fold larger during treatment with itraconazole than with rifampicin. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1998 54(l) 53-8. 

Fluconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole very markedly increase the serum levels of midazolam and triazolam, thereby increasing and prolonging their sedative and amnesic effects. Similar but smaller effects are seen with itraconazole or ketoconazole and alprazolam and with itraconazole and brotizolam. Even less effect is seen with etizolam and itraconazole and no important interaction occurs between estazolam and itraconazole. Small effects are found with the non-benzodiazepine hypnotic, zolpidem, with ketoconazole and even less effects with zopiclone and itraconazole. 

Like fluoxetine, erythromycin and other macrolides inhibit the CYP-3A isoenzyme and increase the levels and effects of the triazolobenzodiazepines (Shader and Greenblatt, 1995 Chouinard et ah, 1999). Midazolam should be avoided or the dosage dropped by 50% in patients receiving erythromycin (Olkkola et ah, 1993). Ketoconazole and itraconazole may also interact with triazolam and midazolam, and combinations of these drugs should be avoided (Varhe et ah, 1994 Chouinard et ah, 1999). 

In an in vitro study of midazolam biotransformation using human liver microsomes, midazolam metabolism was competitively inhibited by the antifungal azoles keto-conazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole, and the antidepressant fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine (55). The degree of inhibition was consistent with the inhibition reported in pharmacokinetic studies, and suggests that in vitro assay is useful for predicting significant interactions. 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with alprazolam, astemizole, carbamazepine, cisapride, clarithromycin, dexamethasone, diltiazem, docetaxel, ifosfamide, imatinib, irinotecan, itraconazole, ketoconazole, methylprednisolone, midazolam, nefazodone, oral contraceptives, paroxetine, phenytoin, pimozide, rifampin, ritonavir, terfenadine, tolbutamide, trabectedin, troleandomycin, vinblastine, vincristine, warfarin... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with acenocoumarol, alfuzosin, aminophylline, anisindione, anticoagulants, buprenorphine, butorphanol, caffeine, carmustine, dobazam, cocoa, dicumarol, dofetilide, duloxetine, epirubicin, eszopiclone, fentanyl, floxuridine, fluorouracil, galantamine, gliclazide, hydromorphone, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lidocaine, meptazinol, midazolam, mizolastine, modobemide, morphine, narcotic analgesics, oxprenolol, oxycodone, pentazocine, phenytoin, posaconazole, prednisone, propranolol, sufentanil, tolazoline, warfarin, xanthines, zaleplon, zofenopril, zolmitriptan, zolpidem... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with aminophylline, amprenavir, antacids, carbamazepine, carmustine, chlorpheniramine, clarithromycin, efavirenz, esomeprazole, imatinib, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, MAO inhibitors, midazolam, modobemide, nelfinavir, phenytoin, sucralfate, warfarin... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with alfentanil, aminophylline, amisulpride, amoxicillin, ampicillin, anticonvulsants, astemizole, atorvastatin, benzodiazepines, bromocriptine, buprenorphine, bupropion, carbamazepine, cilostazol, ciprofloxacin, cisapride, clindamycin, colchicine, cyclosporine, dasatinib, digoxin, dihydroergotamine, diltiazem, disopyramide, enoxacin, eplerenone, ergotamine, eszopiclone, everolimus, fluconazole, fluoxetine, fluvastatin, gatifloxacin, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, imatinib, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lomefloxacin, lorazepam, lovastatin, methadone, methylprednisolone, methysergide, midazolam, mizolastine, moxifloxacin, nitrazepam, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, paroxetine, pimozide, pravastatin, quinolones, ranolazine, repaglinide, rupatadine, sertraline, sildenafil, simvastatin, sparfloxacin, sulpiride, tacrolimus, terfenadine, triazolam, troleandomycin, vardenafil, verapamil, vinblastine, warfarin, zaleplon, zolpidem, zuclopenthixol... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with amiodarone, atorvastatin, bepridil, carbamazepine, delavirdine, dihydroergotamine, etravirine, flecainide, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lidocaine, lopinavir, lovastatin, midazolam, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pimozide, propafenone, quinidine, rifabutin, rifampin, sildenafil, simvastatin, St John s wort, triazolam, vardenafil, warfarin... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with amprenavir, aprepitant, bedomethasone, buprenorphine, calcium, chloramphenicol, cimetidine, dobazam, clorazepate, cyclosporine, cyproterone, darunavir, dasatinib, delavirdine, dexamethasone, diazoxide, disulfiram, dopamine, fesoterodine, fluconazole, flunisolide, fluoxetine, fosamprenavir, ginkgo biloba, hydrocortisone, imatinib, indinavir, influenza vaccines, isoniazid, isradipine, itraconazole, lacosamide, lapatinib, lopinavir, meperidine, methylprednisolone, midazolam, mivacurium, nelfinavir, nilotinib, nilutamide, phenylbutazone, piracetam, posaconazole, prednisolone, prednisone, primrose, ritonavir, rivaroxaban, sage, saquinavir, solifenacin, St John s wort, sucralfate, telithromycin, temsirolimus, teniposide, ticlopidine, tizanidine, tolvaptan, triamcinolone, uracil/tegafur, vigabatrin... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with amiodarone, amprenavir, anisindione, antacids, anticoagulants, aprepitant, atazanavir, atovaquone, beclomethasone, buprenorphine, corticosteroids, cortisone, cyclosporine, cyproterone, dabigatran, dapsone, darunavir, delavirdine, dexamethasone, dicumarol, digoxin, eszopiclone, flunisolide, fosamprenavir, gadoxetate, gestrinone, halothane, imatinib, isoniazid, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lapatinib, lorcainide, methylprednisolone, midazolam, nelfinavir, nifedipine, oral contraceptives, phenylbutazone, prednisone, protease inhibitors, pyrazinamide, ramelteon, ritonavir, saquinavir, solifenacin, sunitinib, tacrolimus, telithromycin, temsirolimus, tipranavir, tolvaptan, trabectedin, triamcinolone, triazolam, voriconazole, warfarin, zaleplon... 

The effects of alprazolam and brotizolam are increased and prolonged by ketoconazole and itraconazole, but the extent of this is less than that seen with midazolam or triazolam. However, some dosage reductions may still be necessary. 

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