Azilect has possible interactions with alcohol, some other drugs, and certain supplements. Examples include antidepressants and drugs that cause drowsiness. Talk with your doctor to avoid potentially harmful effects from Azilect interactions.
Azilect is prescribed for Parkinson’s disease in adults.
An interaction occurs when one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected.
By learning about possible Azilect interactions, you can work with your doctor to ensure Azilect will be safe and effective for you to take. VSports手机版.
Before you start treatment with Azilect, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. V体育安卓版.
To learn whether Azilect interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Azilect and other interactions” section.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Azilect. Keep in mind, this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Azilect. Some of these interactions are described in detail in “Drug interactions in depth. ” V体育平台登录.
| Drug class or drug name | Drug examples | Interaction result with Azilect |
|---|---|---|
| ciprofloxacin (Cipro) | — | can increase the risk of side effects of Azilect |
| cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, others) | — | can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome |
| metoclopramide (Reglan) | — | can make Azilect less effective and increase the risk of side effects of both medications |
| dextromethorphan (Delsym, Robitussin, others) | — | can increase the risk of psychosis and bizarre behavior |
| monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) | • selegiline (Emsam, Zelapar, others) • tranylcypromine (Parnate) | can increase the risk of hypertensive crisis (sudden and severe increase in blood pressure) and serotonin syndrome (a serious condition caused by high levels of serotonin) |
| selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) | • paroxetine (Paxil) • fluoxetine (Prozac) | can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome |
| serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) | • venlafaxine (Effexor XR) • duloxetine (Cymbalta) | can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome |
| benzodiazepines | • alprazolam (Xanax, Xanax XR) • lorazepam (Ativan) | may increase the risk of daytime sleepiness |
| sleep medications | • zolpidem (Ambien) • eszopiclone (Lunesta) | may increase the risk of daytime sleepiness |
| medications that contain levodopa | • Sinemet (carbidopa/levodopa) • Stalevo (carbidopa/levodopa/entacapone) | may increase the risk of dyskinesia (uncontrolled muscle movements) and orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure upon standing) |
| antipsychotics | • haloperidol (Haldol) • quetiapine (Seroquel) | can make Azilect or the antipsychotic less effective |
| certain nasal decongestants | • pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, others) • phenylephrine (Sudafed NE, others) | can increase the risk of severe high blood pressure |
| certain pain medications | • tramadol (Ultram, others) • methadone (Dolophine, others) • meperidine (Demerol) | can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome |
In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Azilect due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications VSports注册入口. Below are the contraindications of Azilect.
Note: Before you start treatment with Azilect, it’s important to tell your doctor if these contraindications apply to you V体育官网入口. They can determine whether to prescribe Azilect.
Taking certain medications
Doctors typically will not prescribe Azilect in combination with the following medications and supplements:
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (a type of antidepressant), such as linezolid (Zyvox), phenelzine (Nardil), isocarboxazid (Marplan), and selegiline (Emsam)
- certain pain medications, including meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine, others), and tramadol (Ultram, others)
- cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, others)
- St. John’s wort
This is because taking Azilect with these drugs can increase your risk of serotonin syndrome V体育2025版. With this syndrome, your body has a high level of a brain chemical called serotonin. This can cause symptoms such as blood pressure changes, excessive sweating, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Serotonin syndrome can be life threatening for some people.
Before you start treatment with Azilect, it’s important to tell your doctor if you take any of the above medications. They’ll likely have you stop taking the drug and wait at least 2 weeks before starting treatment with Azilect VSports. Likewise, after you stop taking Azilect, your doctor will typically have you wait at least 2 weeks before starting treatment with any of the above medications.
Similarly, doctors usually won’t prescribe Azilect if you’re taking dextromethorphan (Delsym, Robitussin, others). This is because combining Azilect and dextromethorphan can increase the risk of psychosis, such as hallucinations or delusions, and bizarre behavior VSports app下载. .
Having had an allergic reaction to Azilect or any of its ingredients
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Azilect or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Azilect. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you V体育官网.
If you drink alcohol, your doctor will likely recommend that you do not drink it while taking Azilect VSports手机版. They’ll also usually advise you not to take any prescription or OTC drugs that contain alcohol during Azilect treatment.
Consuming alcohol and taking Azilect may cause serious side effects, including:
- dizziness
- daytime sleepiness
- nausea
- vomiting
- compulsive behaviors*, including gambling and overspending
- falls
If you have concerns about avoiding alcohol while you’re taking Azilect, talk with your doctor before starting treatment.
* This side effect occurred after Azilect was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For more information, see "VSports注册入口" this article on Azilect’s side effects.
Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Azilect.
SSRIs
Taking Azilect with an SSRI can increase your risk of serotonin syndrome. This is because Azilect and SSRIs both increase serotonin levels in your body.
Here are some SSRIs that may interact with Azilect:
Steps you or your doctor may take
Let your doctor know that you take an SSRI before starting Azilect. They can discuss whether it’s safe to combine these medications. If not, they can discuss alternative treatments for your Parkinson’s disease.
"V体育平台登录" Benzodiazepines
Combining Azilect with benzodiazepines can increase the risk of sleepiness, including falling asleep during daily activities. These include falling asleep while driving, having a conversation, and eating a meal. This is because benzodiazepines and Azilect can both cause drowsiness. Therefore, when they are taken together, the risk of this side effect is higher.
Here are some benzodiazepines that may interact with Azilect:
Steps you or your doctor may take
Before starting Azilect, tell your doctor if you take a benzodiazepine. They can help decide whether it’s safe for you to combine these medications. If you are taking these medications together and experience sleepiness or drowsiness during daily activities, tell your doctor right away. They may have you stop taking either Azilect or the benzodiazepine.
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Taking Azilect and ciprofloxacin together can increase the risk of side effects of Azilect. This is because ciprofloxacin can increase the levels of Azilect in your system. Higher levels of the drug in your body increase your risk of side effects from the drug.
Steps you or your doctor may take
Tell your doctor that you are taking Azilect before you start ciprofloxacin. They may adjust your dosage of Azilect to prevent an interaction.
If you’re taking these drugs together and notice any new or worsening side effects, tell your doctor right away. They may adjust your dosage of Azilect or have you switch to a different antibiotic.
Azilect may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or lab tests.
Here are some potential interactions with Azilect. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all possible Azilect interactions.
Azilect interactions with supplements
Before you start treatment with Azilect, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Azilect interactions with herbs
Doctors will typically recommend you avoid taking St. John’s wort with Azilect. St. John’s wort is an herbal supplement that may be used to treat depression and other conditions.
Azilect and St. John’s wort may both increase the levels of serotonin (a type of chemical) in your body. Therefore, taking these products together can raise your serotonin levels even higher. This increases your risk of serotonin syndrome (a potentially life threatening condition caused by high levels of serotonin). Taking these drugs together may also make Azilect less effective at treating Parkinson’s disease.
Your doctor may be able to suggest a treatment option other than St. John’s wort.
Azilect interactions with vitamins
There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Azilect. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Azilect.
VSports app下载 - Azilect interactions with food
Azilect may interact with a substance called tyramine. Consuming a high level of tyramine while taking Azilect can cause severe high blood pressure. Foods and beverages that are high in tyramine include:
- certain beers and wines
- smoked or cured meats, such as salami
- aged cheeses, including Stilton
- certain fruits
- sourdough bread
Because of this interaction, your doctor will likely recommend limiting these foods and beverages during Azilect treatment.
If you’d like to learn more about which foods to avoid during treatment with Azilect, talk with your doctor. You can also see this article about tyramine-free foods.
Azilect interactions with vaccines
There aren’t any known interactions between Azilect and vaccines. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to check whether you’re due for any vaccines.
Azilect interactions with lab tests (V体育安卓版)
Azilect isn’t known to interact with lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.
AZILECT INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBDCannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been specifically reported to interact with Azilect.
Using cannabis or cannabis products with Azilect can increase the risk of certain side effects. These include drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, and trouble thinking, focusing, and reacting.
Before you start treatment with Azilect, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you use cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many U.S. states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Azilect. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Azilect may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.
Health conditions or factors that might interact with Azilect include:
- Mental health conditions: There have been reports of psychotic symptoms and confusion after taking Azilect. However, these side effects did not occur in studies of the drug. Instead, they were reported after the drug was approved for use. If you have a history of mental health conditions, Azilect may worsen your condition. Your doctor can help determine whether Azilect is right for you.
- High blood pressure: Azilect may increase your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, this can worsen your condition. Due to this risk, your doctor will likely monitor your blood pressure closely during Azilect treatment. They may also increase the dosage of your blood pressure medication.
- Orthostatic hypotension: Azilect can increase your risk of orthostatic hypotension. If you have a history of orthostatic hypotension or low blood pressure, your risk of this side effect may be higher. Your doctor can discuss ways to manage this side effect and keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
- Trouble controlling impulses: Azilect can make it hard to control impulses. These include binge eating, spending, gambling, and sexual urges. If you or your family notices any new or increased compulsive behaviors while you’re taking Azilect, tell your doctor. They can discuss whether it’s safe for you to continue taking Azilect.
- Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Azilect or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Azilect. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
- Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Azilect while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Azilect may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Azilect. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed a child other than breastfeeding.
- Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Azilect is safe to use while pregnant. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Azilect. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.
You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Azilect. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reaching out to them before starting treatment is a helpful first step. For example, it’s important that you plan to do the following:
- Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
- Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
- Create a
medication list (V体育官网) , which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.
It’s also important to read the Azilect label and other
If Azilect doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
You can also help prevent interactions with Azilect by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.