Nefazodone Alcohol

Ciraulo DA, Rotrosen J, Leiderman D, et al Nefazodone induced alterations of cocaine craving and use in dysphoric cocaine users. Drug Alcohol Depend 60 S38, 2000 Connell PH Amphetamine Psychosis (Maudsley Monographs No 5). London, Oxford University Press, 1938... 

Specific concomitant medications or consumptions (check specific statin package insert for warnings) fibrates (especially gemfibrozil, but other fibrates too), nicotinic acid (rarely), cyclosporine, azole antifungals such as itraconazole and ketoconazole, macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin and clarithromycin, protease inhibitors used to treat Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, nefazodone (antidepressant), verapamil, amiodarone, large quantities of grapefruit juice (usually more than 1 quart per day), and alcohol abuse (independently predisposes to myopathy)... 

Kranzler HR, Modesto-Lowe V and Van Kirk J (2000). Naltrexone vs. nefazodone for treatment of alcohol dependence A placebo controlled trial. Neuropsychopharmacology, 22(5), 493-503. 

Drugs that may affect HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors include alcohol, amiodarone, antacids, azole antifungals, bile acid sequestrants, cimetidine, cyclosporine, diltiazem, erythromycin, gemfibrozil, isradipine, nefazodone, niacin, nicotinic acid, omeprazole, phenytoin, propranolol, protease inhibitors, ranitidine, rifampin, St. John s wort, and verapamil. 

Drugs that may affect antihistamines include aluminum/magnesium-containing acids, cimetidine, erythromycin, ketoconazole, MAO inhibitors, and rifamycins (eg, rifampin). Drugs that may be affected by antihistamines include alcohol and CNS depressants, beta-blockers, MAO inhibitors, metyrapone, nefazodone, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and venlafaxine. 

Drugs that affect nefazodone include general anesthetics, sibutramine, sumatriptan, buspirone, carbamazepine, and propranolol. Drugs that may be affected by nefazodone include alcohol, benzodiazepines, buspirone, carbamazepine, cisapride, digoxin, haloperidol, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, MAOIs, propranolol, St. John s wort, cyclosporine, and tacrolimus. 

In contrast to anticonvulsants and alcohol, drugs such as bupropion, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, nefazodone, quinidine, paroxetine, and some antipsychotics can inhibit specific CYP enzymes (7, 11, 36, 37, 41, 42, 43 and 44). Thus, TCAs, certain BZDs, bupropion, some steroids, and antipsychotics can all have their metabolism inhibited by drugs such as fluoxetine. For example, fluoxetine at 20 mg/day produces on average a 500% increase in the levels of coprescribed drugs which are principally dependent on CYP 2D6 for their clearance. That can lead to serious or even life-threatening toxicity if the drug has a narrow therapeutic index and the dose is not adjusted for the change in clearance caused by the coadministration of fluoxetine. 

Nefazodone, like the SSRIs and venlafaxine, has negligible effect on Na ion fast channels and therefore does not slow intracardiac conduction. As a result, during clinical trials development, patients survived drug overdoses exceeding 11,200 mg without the need for any intervention beyond observation and routine nursing care (146, 451). One nonstudy patient who took 2,000 to 3,000 mg of nefazodone with methocarbamol and alcohol experienced a seizure (type not documented) but otherwise recovered uneventfully. 

Frewer L, Lader M. The effects of nefazodone, imipramine, and placebo, alone and combined with alcohol in normal subjects. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 1993 8 13-20. 

With the important exception of additive effects when combined with other CNS depressants, including alcohol, BZDs interact with very few drugs. Disulfiram (see the section The Alcoholic Patient in Chapter 14) and cimetidine may increase BZD blood levels, and diazepam may increase blood levels of digoxin and phenytoin. Antacids may reduce the clinical effects of clorazepate by hindering its biotransformation to desmethyidiazepam. Coadministration of a BZD and another drug known to induce seizures may possibly increase seizure risk, especially if the BZD is abruptly withdrawn. Furthermore, as noted earlier, important interactions have been reported among nefazodone, erythromycin, troleandomycin, and other macrolide antibiotics, as well as itraconazole. In each case, metabolism is inhibited, and triazolam levels can increase significantly. 

Gastrointestinal adverse effects of naltrexone were also observed in 183 alcohol-dependent individuals who received either naltrexone or nefazodone (15). These adverse effects predicated early termination of naltrexone used to treat alcohol dependence (16). 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with alcohol, cimetidine, CNS depressant, erythromycin, ethanol, ketoconazole, nefazodone, nelfinavir, olanzapine, rifampin, ritonavir, tricyclic antidepressants... 

For treatment-resistant patients who do not respond to SSRIs or TCAs, or to the combination of TCAs/SSRIs with benzodiazepines, other antidepressants have shown at least some beneficial effects in alleviating PD symptoms (e.g. mirtazapine, moclobemide, nefazodone, phenelzine, reboxetine, and venlafaxine). Other agents have also been reported to exert beneficial effects in PD, especially when combined with SSRIs/TCAs (lithium, pindolol, and propranolol). In cases where all treatments have failed, valproate or olanzapine should be considered.2 - ° In order to optimize treatment, patients should avoid or reduce the consumption of compounds that could potentially induce/exacerbate panic attacks (e.g. caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine) and should exercise regularly. i... 

In one study nefazodone 400 mg was found not to increase the sedative-hypnotic effects of alcohol. ... 

Buspirone does not appear to interact with amitriptyline, cimetidine or terfenadine. An isolated report describes mania when an alcoholic patient taking huspirone was given disulfiram. Nefazodone greatly increases huspirone levels. 

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