Drug Interactions between dexamethasone / ketorolac / moxifloxacin and papaverine

MONITOR CLOSELY: Concomitant administration of corticosteroids may potentiate the risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture associated with fluoroquinolone treatment. The mechanism is unknown. Tendinitis and tendon rupture have most frequently involved the Achilles tendon, although cases involving the rotator cuff (the shoulder), the hand, the biceps, and the thumb have also been reported. Some have required surgical repair or resulted in prolonged disability. Tendon rupture can occur during or up to several months after completion of fluoroquinolone therapy.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is recommended if fluoroquinolones are prescribed in combination with corticosteroids, particularly in patients with other concomitant risk factors (e.g., age over 60 years; recipient of kidney, heart, and/or lung transplant). Patients should be advised to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and promptly contact their physician if they experience pain, swelling, or inflammation of a tendon. In general, fluoroquinolones should only be used to treat conditions that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria and only if the benefits outweigh the risks.

MONITOR CLOSELY: Intracoronary administration of papaverine has been associated with QT interval prolongation and torsade de pointes (TdP) arrhythmia. The risk may theoretically increase in patients receiving concomitant medications that can also prolong the QT interval or cause bradycardia. QT interval prolongation has not been reported following systemic or intracavernosal administration of papaverine. The precise mechanism of papaverine-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias has not been delineated, but may involve inhibition of potassium currents and prolongation of the action potential duration. In a study involving 182 consecutive patients undergoing fractional flow reserve measurements, premature ventricular beats occurred in 15.9% of patients following administration of intracoronary papaverine. TdP occurred in 2.8% of patients, and of those, 1.7% developed ventricular fibrillation. The incidence of intracoronary papaverine-induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias has not been determined, but has ranged between <0.67% and 8.8% following intracoronary administration of 6 mg to 20 mg. Based on numerous reports, female gender, hypokalemia, alkalosis, bradycardia, administration of papaverine into the left coronary artery, and a prior history of drug-induced QT prolongation may be risk factors for papaverine-induced fatal ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Apart from isolated case reports, there are no published data regarding the potential interaction between intracoronary papaverine and its use with other QT-prolonging drugs. In general, the risk of an individual agent or a combination of agents causing ventricular arrhythmia in association with QT prolongation is largely unpredictable but may be increased by certain underlying risk factors such as congenital long QT syndrome, cardiac disease, and electrolyte disturbances (e.g., hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia). In addition, the extent of drug-induced QT prolongation is dependent on the particular drugs involved and dosages of the drugs.

MANAGEMENT: Caution and close monitoring are advised during intracoronary administration of papaverine, particularly in patients receiving concomitant drugs that can prolong the QT interval or cause bradycardia and in patients with other risk factors described above. Some QT prolonging medications have specific monitoring, dosing, and/or other recommendations present in their labeling to help mitigate or monitor this side effect; therefore, it may be advisable to consult the package labeling of the concomitant medication if coadministration with intracoronary papaverine is being considered or deemed necessary.

MONITOR: The combined use of corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may increase the potential for serious gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity, including inflammation, bleeding, ulceration, and perforation. In a large, case-control study of elderly patients, those who used corticosteroids and NSAIDs concurrently had an estimated relative risk (RR) for peptic ulcer disease and GI hemorrhage of 14.6 compared to those who used neither. Corticosteroid use was associated with a doubling of the risk (estimated RR = 2.0), but the risk was confined to those who also used NSAIDs. It is possible that both categories of agents are ulcerogenic and have additive effects on the GI mucosa during coadministration. Some investigators have also suggested that the primary effect of corticosteroids in this interaction is to delay healing of erosions caused by NSAIDs rather than cause de novo ulcerations.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised if corticosteroids and NSAIDs are used together, especially in patients with a prior history of peptic ulcer disease or GI bleeding and in elderly and debilitated patients. During concomitant therapy, patients should be advised to take the medications with food and to immediately report signs and symptoms of GI ulceration and bleeding such as severe abdominal pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, and the appearance of black, tarry stools. The selective use of prophylactic anti-ulcer therapy (e.g., antacids, H2-antagonists) may be considered.

MONITOR: Coadministration with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may potentiate the risk of central nervous system toxicity sometimes associated with fluoroquinolone use. The interaction has been reported most often with enoxacin. It may occur with other fluoroquinolones as well, but is poorly documented. The exact mechanism of interaction is unknown. Some investigators suggest that the piperazine ring of fluoroquinolones may inhibit the binding of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to brain receptors and that NSAIDs may synergistically add to this effect. Patients with a history of seizures may be at greater risk.

MANAGEMENT: Clinical monitoring for signs of CNS stimulation such as tremors, involuntary muscle movements, hallucinations, or seizures is recommended if fluoroquinolone antibiotics are prescribed in combination with NSAIDs.