Can you take Methsuximide with Safinamide?
1 drug interaction and 13 additional warnings found for the following 2 drugs:
- methsuximide
- safinamide
Drug interactions
Moderate drug interactions
Moderate:
methsuximide safinamide
Applies to: methsuximide and safinamide
Using methsuximide together with safinamide may increase side effects such as:
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- confusion
- difficulty concentrating
Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination.
What to do: 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.
Food/lifestyle interactions
Moderate food/lifestyle interactions
Moderate:
methsuximide Food/Lifestyle
Applies to: methsuximide
Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of methsuximide such as:
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- difficulty concentrating
Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment.
You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with methsuximide.
Do not use more than the recommended dose of methsuximide, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.
Moderate:
safinamide Food/Lifestyle
Applies to: safinamide
Safinamide may be taken with or without food.
While there is no need to strictly avoid most foods and beverages that contain tyramine (usually aged, fermented, cured, smoked, or pickled foods such as air-dried and fermented meats or fish, aged cheeses, most soybean products, yeast extracts, red wine, beer, and sauerkraut) during treatment with safinamide, certain foods such as some of the aged cheeses (for example, Boursault, Liederkrantz, Mycella, and Stilton) and pickled herring may contain very high amounts of tyramine and should generally be avoided if possible.
Consumption of very high levels of tyramine (greater than 150 mg) while on safinamide treatment may lead to dangerous increases in your blood pressure, a condition known as hypertensive crisis.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are uncertain about what foods, if any, to avoid.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden and severe headache, blurred vision, confusion, seizures, chest pain, nausea or vomiting, sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), speech difficulties, fever, sweating, lightheadedness, and/or fainting during treatment with safinamide, as these may be signs and symptoms of a hypertensive crisis.
Do not take larger doses or use the medication more frequently than prescribed.
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
11 potential interactions Applies to: 9 conditions, including High Blood Pressure, Depression, Psychosis, Lupus Erythematosus, and Liver Disease.
Bone Marrow Depression/Low Blood Counts
Major:
methsuximide
Methsuximide has a major potential interaction with Bone Marrow Depression/Low Blood Counts.
Hematologic toxicities, some with fatal outcome, have been associated with the use of succinimide anticonvulsants. Leukopenia, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia, and eosinophilia have been reported. Therapy with succinimide anticonvulsants should be administered cautiously in patients with preexisting blood dyscrasias and/or bone marrow suppression. Complete blood counts, including platelets, should be performed prior to initiating therapy and periodically during therapy. Marked depression of blood counts may be indication for withdrawal of succinimide therapy.
Depression
Moderate:
methsuximide
Methsuximide has a moderate potential interaction with Depression.
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Pooled analyses of 199 placebo-controlled clinical studies involving the use of 11 different AEDs showed that patients receiving AEDs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal thinking or behavior compared to patients receiving placebo. AEDs should be administered cautiously in patients with depression or other psychiatric disorders; phentermine-topiramate should be avoided in patients with history of suicidal attempts or active suicidal ideation. The risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior should be carefully assessed against the risk of untreated illness, bearing in mind that epilepsy and many other conditions for which AEDs are prescribed are themselves associated with morbidity and mortality and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Patients, caregivers, and families should be alert to the emergence or worsening of signs and symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or the emergence of suicidal thoughts or behavior. If patients have symptoms of suicidal ideation or behavior, a dosage reduction or treatment discontinuation should be considered.
High Blood Pressure
Moderate:
safinamide
Safinamide has a moderate potential interaction with High Blood Pressure.
Safinamide may cause hypertension or exacerbate existing hypertension. Patients should be monitored for new onset hypertension or hypertension that is not adequately controlled after starting treatment. Dosage adjustment may be necessary if elevation of blood pressure is sustained.
Liver Disease
Major:
methsuximide
Methsuximide has a major potential interaction with Liver Disease.
Succinimide anticonvulsants have produced morphological and functional changes in the liver of animals. In humans, abnormalities in liver and renal function studies have been reported. Therapy with succinimide anticonvulsants should be administered with extreme caution in patients with known hepatic or renal diseases. Periodic urinalysis and liver function tests are recommended for all patients treated with these drugs.
Major:
safinamide
Safinamide has a major potential interaction with Liver Disease.
Safinamide is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh C). In patients with moderate hepatic impairment the maximum recommended dose is 50 mg orally once a day. If a patient taking this dose progresses from moderate to severe hepatic impairment, safinamide should be discontinued.
Lupus Erythematosus
Major:
methsuximide
Methsuximide has a major potential interaction with Lupus Erythematosus.
Cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been reported in association with the use of succinimide anticonvulsants, primarily ethosuximide. Some of the patients recovered promptly following discontinuation of the drug, while others continued to have active disease long after. Therapy with succinimide anticonvulsants should be administered cautiously in patients with a history of SLE.
Psychosis
Moderate:
methsuximide
Methsuximide has a moderate potential interaction with Psychosis.
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Pooled analyses of 199 placebo-controlled clinical studies involving the use of 11 different AEDs showed that patients receiving AEDs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal thinking or behavior compared to patients receiving placebo. AEDs should be administered cautiously in patients with depression or other psychiatric disorders; phentermine-topiramate should be avoided in patients with history of suicidal attempts or active suicidal ideation. The risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior should be carefully assessed against the risk of untreated illness, bearing in mind that epilepsy and many other conditions for which AEDs are prescribed are themselves associated with morbidity and mortality and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Patients, caregivers, and families should be alert to the emergence or worsening of signs and symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or the emergence of suicidal thoughts or behavior. If patients have symptoms of suicidal ideation or behavior, a dosage reduction or treatment discontinuation should be considered.
Moderate:
safinamide
Safinamide has a moderate potential interaction with Psychosis.
Ordinarily, patients with major psychotic disorder should not be treated with dopaminergic antiparkinsonian agents, because of the risk of exacerbating psychosis. Hallucinations and psychotic-like behavior have been reported with dopaminergic medications. In addition, certain medications used to treat psychosis may exacerbate the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and may decrease the effectiveness of these drugs. The use of bromocriptine in patients with severe psychotic disorders is not recommended.
Renal Dysfunction
Major:
methsuximide
Methsuximide has a major potential interaction with Renal Dysfunction.
Succinimide anticonvulsants have produced morphological and functional changes in the liver of animals. In humans, abnormalities in liver and renal function studies have been reported. Therapy with succinimide anticonvulsants should be administered with extreme caution in patients with known hepatic or renal diseases. Periodic urinalysis and liver function tests are recommended for all patients treated with these drugs.
Retinal Disorders
Moderate:
safinamide
Safinamide has a moderate potential interaction with Retinal Disorders.
Animal studies with safinamide showed retinal degeneration, loss of photoreceptor cells, cataracts, and retinal scarring. Patients should be periodically monitored for visual changes, especially if they have a history of retinal/macular degeneration, uveitis, inherited retinal conditions, family history of retinal disease, albinism, retinitis pigmentosa, or active retinopathy (e.g., diabetic retinopathy).
Uveitis
Moderate:
safinamide
Safinamide has a moderate potential interaction with Uveitis.
Animal studies with safinamide showed retinal degeneration, loss of photoreceptor cells, cataracts, and retinal scarring. Patients should be periodically monitored for visual changes, especially if they have a history of retinal/macular degeneration, uveitis, inherited retinal conditions, family history of retinal disease, albinism, retinitis pigmentosa, or active retinopathy (e.g., diabetic retinopathy).
More resources
methsuximide
A total of 252 drugs are known to interact with methsuximide.
- Methsuximide is in the drug class succinimide anticonvulsants.
- Methsuximide is used to treat Seizures.
safinamide
A total of 500 drugs are known to interact with safinamide.
- Safinamide is in the drug class dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agents.
- Safinamide is used to treat Parkinson's Disease.
Drug Interaction Classification
| Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit. | |
| Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances. | |
| 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. | |
| No interaction information available. |
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.