Drug Interaction Report

MONITOR CLOSELY: Concomitant use of rivaroxaban with other agents that alter hemostasis such as aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), platelet aggregation inhibitors, other anticoagulants, thrombolytic agents, or drugs that cause thrombocytopenia may increase the risk of bleeding. In patients receiving neuraxial anesthesia or spinal puncture, the risk of developing an epidural or spinal hematoma during rivaroxaban therapy may also be increased by the concomitant use of other drugs that affect coagulation. The development of epidural and spinal hematoma can lead to long-term neurological injury or permanent paralysis.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is recommended if rivaroxaban must be used with other agents that alter hemostasis. Patients should be monitored for increased anticoagulant effects and bleeding complications. In patients undergoing neuraxial intervention, coadministration of these agents should be approached with caution and only after thorough assessment of risks and benefits. Besides bleeding complications, patients should also be monitored frequently for signs and symptoms of neurologic impairment such as midline back pain, sensory and motor deficits (numbness or weakness in lower limbs), and bowel or bladder dysfunction.

GENERALLY AVOID: Theoretically, proton pump inhibitors may decrease the gastrointestinal absorption of enteric-coated naproxen, which requires an acidic environment for dissolution. The proposed mechanism is an increase in gastric pH (i.e. decreased gastric acidity) induced by proton pump inhibitors. In patients treated with proton pump inhibitors, the possibility of a reduced or subtherapeutic response to enteric-coated naproxen should be considered.

MANAGEMENT: Concomitant use of these drugs is generally not recommended.

ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Food may interfere with the absorption of esomeprazole. The manufacturer reports that the area under the concentration-time curve for esomeprazole following a single 40 mg dose was 33% to 53% lower when administered after food intake as opposed to during fasting conditions.

MANAGEMENT: Esomeprazole should be taken at least one hour before meals. When administered to patients receiving continuous enteral nutrition, some experts recommend that the tube feeding should be interrupted for at least 1 hour before and 1 hour after the dose of esomeprazole is given.

GENERALLY AVOID: The concurrent use of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and ethanol may lead to gastrointestinal (GI) blood loss. The mechanism may be due to a combined local effect as well as inhibition of prostaglandins leading to decreased integrity of the GI lining.

MANAGEMENT: Patients should be counseled on this potential interaction and advised to refrain from alcohol consumption while taking aspirin or NSAIDs.

MONITOR: Smoking cessation may lead to elevated plasma concentrations and enhanced pharmacologic effects of drugs that are substrates of CYP450 1A2 (and possibly CYP450 1A1) and/or certain drugs with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., flecainide, pentazocine). One proposed mechanism is related to the loss of CYP450 1A2 and 1A1 induction by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco smoke; when smoking cessation agents are initiated and smoking stops, the metabolism of certain drugs may decrease leading to increased plasma concentrations. The mechanism by which smoking cessation affects narrow therapeutic index drugs that are not known substrates of CYP450 1A2 or 1A1 is unknown. The clinical significance of this interaction is unknown as clinical data are lacking.

MANAGEMENT: Until more information is available, caution is advisable if smoking cessation agents are used concomitantly with drugs that are substrates of CYP450 1A2 or 1A1 and/or those with a narrow therapeutic range. Patients receiving smoking cessation agents may require periodic dose adjustments and closer clinical and laboratory monitoring of medications that are substrates of CYP450 1A2 or 1A1.