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Can you take Altaryl with Benztropine?

1 drug interaction and 33 additional warnings found for the following 2 drugs:

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Drug interactions

Moderate drug interactions

Moderate:

benztropine diphenhydrAMINE

Applies to: benztropine and Altaryl (diphenhydramine)

Using benztropine together with diphenhydrAMINE may increase side effects such as drowsiness, blurred vision, dry mouth, heat intolerance, flushing, decreased sweating, difficulty urinating, abdominal cramping, constipation, irregular heartbeat, confusion, and memory problems. Side effects may be more likely to occur in the elderly or those with a debilitating condition. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Therapeutic duplication warnings

Therapeutic duplication is the use of more than one medicine from the same drug category or therapeutic class to treat the same condition.

It can be intentional, when combining drugs with similar actions adds demonstrated therapeutic benefit — or unintentional, such as when a patient sees multiple prescribers or fills prescriptions at more than one pharmacy, which can lead to adverse effects.

Duplication:

Anticholinergics for parkinsonism

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'anticholinergics for parkinsonism' category to be taken concurrently is usually one. Your list includes two medicines belonging to the 'anticholinergics for parkinsonism' category:

  • Altaryl (diphenhydramine)
  • benztropine

Note: In certain circumstances, the benefits of taking this combination of drugs may outweigh any risks. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or dosage.

Food/lifestyle interactions

Moderate food/lifestyle interactions

Moderate:

benztropine Alcohol (Ethanol)

Applies to: benztropine

Ask your doctor before using benztropine together with ethanol (alcohol). Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking benztropine. You should be warned not to exceed recommended dosages and to avoid activities requiring mental alertness. If your doctor prescribes these medications together, you may need a dose adjustment to safely take this combination. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Moderate:

diphenhydrAMINE Alcohol (Ethanol)

Applies to: Altaryl (diphenhydramine)

Ask your doctor before using diphenhydrAMINE together with ethanol (alcohol). Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking diphenhydrAMINE. You should be warned not to exceed recommended dosages and to avoid activities requiring mental alertness. If your doctor prescribes these medications together, you may need a dose adjustment to safely take this combination. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Disease interactions

30 potential interactions Applies to: 22 conditions, including High Blood Pressure, Depression, Heart Failure, Asthma, and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Alcoholism

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Alcoholism.

Since benztropine contains structural features of atropine, it may produce anhidrosis. Benztropine should be administered with caution during hot weather, especially when given concomitantly with other atropine-like drugs to the chronically ill, the alcoholic, those who have central nervous system disease, and those who do manual labor in a hot environment. Anhidrosis may occur more readily when some disturbance of sweating already exists. If there is evidence of anhidrosis, the possibility of hyperthermia should be considered. Severe anhidrosis and fatal hyperthermia have occurred with the use of benztropine. Caution is recommended when prescribing benztropine to patients with inability to sweat normally.

Arrhythmia

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Arrhythmia.

Therapy with benztropine should be administered cautiously in patients with tachycardia, or congestive heart failure. Close monitoring is recommended when this agent is prescribed to these patients.

Asthma

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Asthma.

It has been suggested that the anticholinergic effect of antihistamines may reduce the volume and cause thickening of bronchial secretions, resulting in obstruction of respiratory tract. Some manufacturers and clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Asthma.

Oral anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic agents may cause respiratory depression and apnea when given in high dosages or following acute overdose. However, some patients may be susceptible at commonly used dosages, including the elderly, debilitated or severely ill patients, those receiving other CNS depressants, and those with limited ventilatory reserve, chronic pulmonary insufficiency or other respiratory disorders. Therapy with anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic agents should be administered cautiously in these patients. Appropriate monitoring and individualization of dosage are recommended.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Therapy with benztropine should be administered cautiously in patients with prostatic hypertrophy. Close monitoring is recommended when benztropine is prescribed to these patients.

Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders.

Antihistamines may infrequently cause cardiovascular adverse effects related to their anticholinergic and local anesthetic (quinidine-like) activities. Tachycardia, palpitation, ECG changes, arrhythmias, hypotension, and hypertension have been reported. Although these effects are uncommon and usually limited to overdosage situations, the manufacturers and some clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and/or hyperthyroidism.

Central Nervous System Disorders

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Central Nervous System Disorders.

Since benztropine contains structural features of atropine, it may produce anhidrosis. Benztropine should be administered with caution during hot weather, especially when given concomitantly with other atropine-like drugs to the chronically ill, the alcoholic, those who have central nervous system disease, and those who do manual labor in a hot environment. Anhidrosis may occur more readily when some disturbance of sweating already exists. If there is evidence of anhidrosis, the possibility of hyperthermia should be considered. Severe anhidrosis and fatal hyperthermia have occurred with the use of benztropine. Caution is recommended when prescribing benztropine to patients with inability to sweat normally.

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Central Nervous System Disorders.

The use of benztropine may cause mental confusion and excitement may occur with large doses, or in susceptible patients. In addition, visual hallucinations have been reported. Furthermore, in the treatment of extrapyramidal disorders due to neuroleptic drugs (e.g., phenothiazines), in patients with mental disorders, occasionally there may be intensification of mental symptoms. In such cases, antiparkinsonian drugs can precipitate a toxic psychosis. Patients with mental disorders should be kept under careful observation, especially at the beginning of treatment or if dosage is increased.

COPD

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with COPD.

It has been suggested that the anticholinergic effect of antihistamines may reduce the volume and cause thickening of bronchial secretions, resulting in obstruction of respiratory tract. Some manufacturers and clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Depression

Major:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a major potential interaction with Depression.

A variety of abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported to occur in association with the use of most anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics. Some of these changes include decreased inhibition, aggressiveness, agitation, and hallucinations. These drugs can cause or exacerbate mental depression and cause suicidal behavior and ideation. Therapy with these drugs should be administered cautiously in patients with a history of depression or other psychiatric disorders. Patients should be monitored for any changes in mood or behavior. It may be prudent to refrain from dispensing large quantities of medication to these patients.

Esophageal Obstruction

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Esophageal Obstruction.

Benztropine should be used with caution in patients with obstructive diseases such as achalasia, esophageal stricture or stenosis, pyloroduodenal stenosis, stenosing peptic ulcer, pyloric obstruction, and paralytic ileus. Anticholinergics may further suppress intestinal motility with resultant precipitation or aggravation of toxic megacolon. Caution is recommended when prescribing benztropine to these patients.

Fever

Minor:

benztropine

Benztropine has a minor potential interaction with Fever.

Atropine-like agents may increase the risk of hyperthermia in patients with fever by producing anhidrosis. Therapy with atropine-like agents should be administered cautiously in febrile patients.

Gastrointestinal Obstruction

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Gastrointestinal Obstruction.

Antihistamines often have anticholinergic activity, to which elderly patients are particularly sensitive. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously, if at all, in patients with preexisting conditions that are likely to be exacerbated by anticholinergic activity, such as urinary retention or obstruction; angle-closure glaucoma, untreated intraocular hypertension, or uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma; and gastrointestinal obstructive disorders. Conventional, first-generation antihistamines such as the ethanolamines (bromodiphenhydramine, carbinoxamine, clemastine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenyltoloxamine) tend to exhibit substantial anticholinergic effects. In contrast, the newer, relatively nonsedating antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) reportedly have low to minimal anticholinergic activity at normally recommended dosages and may be appropriate alternatives.

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Gastrointestinal Obstruction.

Benztropine should be used with caution in patients with obstructive diseases such as achalasia, esophageal stricture or stenosis, pyloroduodenal stenosis, stenosing peptic ulcer, pyloric obstruction, and paralytic ileus. Anticholinergics may further suppress intestinal motility with resultant precipitation or aggravation of toxic megacolon. Caution is recommended when prescribing benztropine to these patients.

Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension

Major:

benztropine

Benztropine has a major potential interaction with Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension.

Benztropine should not be used in angle-closure glaucoma. Although benztropine does not appear to have any adverse effect on simple glaucoma, it probably should not be used in angle-closure glaucoma as anticholinergics cause mydriasis and they may exacerbate this condition.

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension.

Some hypnotic drugs can have an anticholinergic effect and should be used with caution in patients with glaucoma, and trouble urinating due to retention or enlarged prostate.

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension.

Antihistamines often have anticholinergic activity, to which elderly patients are particularly sensitive. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously, if at all, in patients with preexisting conditions that are likely to be exacerbated by anticholinergic activity, such as urinary retention or obstruction; angle-closure glaucoma, untreated intraocular hypertension, or uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma; and gastrointestinal obstructive disorders. Conventional, first-generation antihistamines such as the ethanolamines (bromodiphenhydramine, carbinoxamine, clemastine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenyltoloxamine) tend to exhibit substantial anticholinergic effects. In contrast, the newer, relatively nonsedating antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) reportedly have low to minimal anticholinergic activity at normally recommended dosages and may be appropriate alternatives.

Heart Failure

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Heart Failure.

Therapy with benztropine should be administered cautiously in patients with tachycardia, or congestive heart failure. Close monitoring is recommended when this agent is prescribed to these patients.

High Blood Pressure

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with High Blood Pressure.

Cardiovascular effects of anticholinergic agents may exacerbate hypertension. Therapy with benztropine should be administered cautiously in patients with hypertension.

Hyperthyroidism

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Hyperthyroidism.

Antihistamines may infrequently cause cardiovascular adverse effects related to their anticholinergic and local anesthetic (quinidine-like) activities. Tachycardia, palpitation, ECG changes, arrhythmias, hypotension, and hypertension have been reported. Although these effects are uncommon and usually limited to overdosage situations, the manufacturers and some clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and/or hyperthyroidism.

Hypotension

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Hypotension.

Antihistamines may infrequently cause cardiovascular adverse effects related to their anticholinergic and local anesthetic (quinidine-like) activities. Tachycardia, palpitation, ECG changes, arrhythmias, hypotension, and hypertension have been reported. Although these effects are uncommon and usually limited to overdosage situations, the manufacturers and some clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and/or hyperthyroidism.

Infectious Gastroenteritis

Major:

benztropine

Benztropine has a major potential interaction with Infectious Gastroenteritis.

The use of drugs with antiperistaltic activity (primarily antidiarrheal and antimuscarinic agents, but also antispasmodic agents such as dicyclomine or oxybutynin at high dosages) is contraindicated in patients with diarrhea due to pseudomembranous enterocolitis or enterotoxin-producing bacteria. These drugs may prolong and/or worsen diarrhea associated with organisms that invade the intestinal mucosa, such as toxigenic E. coli, Salmonella and Shigella, and pseudomembranous colitis due to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Other symptoms and complications such as fever, shedding of organisms and extraintestinal illness may also be increased or prolonged. In general, because antiperistaltic agents decrease gastrointestinal motility, they may delay the excretion of infective gastroenteric organisms or toxins and should be used cautiously in patients with any infectious diarrhea, particularly if accompanied by high fever or pus or blood in the stool. Some cough and cold and other combination products may occasionally include antimuscarinic agents for their drying effects and may, therefore, require careful selection when necessary.

Liver Disease

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Liver Disease.

In general, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics are extensively metabolized by the liver. Their plasma clearance may be decreased and their half-life prolonged in patients with impaired hepatic function. Therapy with these drugs should be administered cautiously in patients with liver disease (some are not recommended in severe liver impairment), and the dosage should be adjusted accordingly. Laboratory testing is recommended prior and during treatment.

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Liver Disease.

Limited pharmacokinetic data are available for the older, first-generation antihistamines. Many appear to be primarily metabolized by the liver, and both parent drugs and metabolites are excreted in the urine. Patients with renal and/or liver disease may be at greater risk for adverse effects from antihistamines due to drug and metabolite accumulation. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously in such patients. Lower initial dosages may be appropriate.

Psychosis

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Psychosis.

Toxic psychosis manifested as confusion, disorientation, agitation, excitation, memory impairment, delusions and hallucinations may develop at toxic and therapeutic dosages of antimuscarinic agents. Therapy with these agents should be administered cautiously in patients with mental disorders receiving antimuscarinic agents for control of drug-induced extrapyramidal effects, especially at the beginning of therapy or during dosage adjustment. Psychiatric deterioration and psychotic flare-ups have also been reported following withdrawal of therapy. Symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, aggression or violent behavior, and suicidal tendencies. In high dosages, antimuscarinic agents may sometimes produce euphorigenic effects. For this reason, it can be a drug of abuse.

Renal Dysfunction

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Renal Dysfunction.

Limited pharmacokinetic data are available for the older, first-generation antihistamines. Many appear to be primarily metabolized by the liver, and both parent drugs and metabolites are excreted in the urine. Patients with renal and/or liver disease may be at greater risk for adverse effects from antihistamines due to drug and metabolite accumulation. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously in such patients. Lower initial dosages may be appropriate.

Tardive Dyskinesia

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Tardive Dyskinesia.

Benztropine may precipitate symptoms of tardive dyskinesia (TD), a syndrome consisting of rhythmic involuntary movements variously involving the tongue, face, mouth, lips, jaw, and/or trunk and extremities, following chronic use of at least several months but often years. Elderly patients, particularly women, are most susceptible. Antiparkinsonism agents do not alleviate the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia, and in some instances may aggravate them. Benztropine is not recommended for use in patients with tardive dyskinesia.

Urinary Retention

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Urinary Retention.

Antihistamines often have anticholinergic activity, to which elderly patients are particularly sensitive. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously, if at all, in patients with preexisting conditions that are likely to be exacerbated by anticholinergic activity, such as urinary retention or obstruction; angle-closure glaucoma, untreated intraocular hypertension, or uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma; and gastrointestinal obstructive disorders. Conventional, first-generation antihistamines such as the ethanolamines (bromodiphenhydramine, carbinoxamine, clemastine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenyltoloxamine) tend to exhibit substantial anticholinergic effects. In contrast, the newer, relatively nonsedating antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) reportedly have low to minimal anticholinergic activity at normally recommended dosages and may be appropriate alternatives.

Moderate:

Altaryl

The diphenhydrAMINE in Altaryl has a moderate potential interaction with Urinary Retention.

Some hypnotic drugs can have an anticholinergic effect and should be used with caution in patients with glaucoma, and trouble urinating due to retention or enlarged prostate.

Moderate:

benztropine

Benztropine has a moderate potential interaction with Urinary Retention.

Dysuria may occur with the use of benztropine, but it rarely becomes a problem. Also, urinary retention has been reported. Caution is advised even when using benztropine in patients with urinary blockage, particularly in elderly patients.

More resources

Altaryl

A total of 493 drugs are known to interact with Altaryl.

benztropine

A total of 362 drugs are known to interact with benztropine.

Drug Interaction Classification

These classifications are only a guideline. The relevance of a particular drug interaction to a specific individual is difficult to determine. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medication.
Major Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit.
Moderate Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances.
Minor Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan.
Unknown No interaction information available.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.