Prescription Safety: The Most Common Drug Interactions to Know

Prescription safety is getting more complicated every day. If you’re concerned about your prescription safety, check out these common drug interactions you should definitely know about.

Having a list of prescription drugs in your arsenal can be complicated.

You have to keep track of the proper dose of medicine when to take each, what foods you can and can’t have with them, what needs to be taken alone, and what needs to be taken with food.

The reality is that this is only half of the battle.

Your pharmacist is your first line of defense when it comes to prescription safety. He or she sees your medications, including what you are filling or taking at the same time, and is most likely to be the first person to catch the potential for common drug interactions.

1. Digoxin and Quinidine

Digoxin is a standard heart medication, often used to treat afib, congestive heart failure, and supraventricular tachycardia; sometimes in combination with a diuretic. Quinidine is also used to address heart rhythm issues but can also be used to treat malaria.

Taken together at regular doses, the levels of digoxin in blood plasma are known to increase significantly, doubling in rate within as little as 24 hours. Patients taking both drugs at the same time may become nauseated, begin vomiting, develop kidney issues, or even die.

In some cases, taking both drugs may be indicated, but if you take them together, you should be carefully monitored for blood plasma levels to prevent issues.

When this combination is indicated, the digoxin dose is usually cut in half compared to what would be taken if alone.

2. Phenelzine and Fluoxetine

Phenelzine is an antidepressant that falls into the MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor) category. Fluoxetine is a similar drug used to treat depression, OCD, some forms of anxiety, and even eating disorders.