Get addiction help now: (831) 315-4540

get help now

Get addiction help now: (831) 315-4540

get help now

Pharmacological Agents Interacting With Methadone

Time to read: 4 min

Information on NAMA’s website is not
intended as medical advice for individual problems. 

 Appropriate medical professionals
should be consulted regarding addiction and addiction recovery.

 

Pharmacologic
Agents

Clinical
Signs
and Symptoms

Comments

Drugs That Decrease Methadone Levels

Rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, butabarbital
sodium, mephobarbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital, ethanol (chronic),
disulfiram, urinary acidifiers, ascorbic acid

Withdrawal signs

Disulfiram may decrease methadone levels but not
significantly. Not clinically problematic.

Drugs That Increase Methadone Levels

Cimetidine, diazepam, ethanol (acute), fluvoxamine
maleate, ketoconazole, urinary alkalinizers

Increased sedation and other opiate effects

Cimetidine can be used in patients with low trough
methadone levels to prolong action (note: must consider cimetidine
effects on other concurrent medications).

Drugs With Levels Affected by Methadone

Desipramine (DMI), zidovudine (AZT)

Possible increased toxicity of DMI and AZT

Methadone descreases DMI and AZT metabolism; may
increase side effects. Close clinical monitoring needed.

Other Opioid and Analgesic Agents

Naltrexone, malmefene,maloxone, buprenorphine,*
butorphanol,* dezocine,* nalbuphine,* pentazocine,* tramadol

Withdrawal signs

 

 

*

Pain-relievers with opioid-antagonist activity.

Synthetic analgesic (not considered opioid
antagonist, but does decrease levels of opiates).

Data from Stine and Kosten,
Addiction Treatment Forum,
Kalvik et al, and Nillson et al.

This chart
courtesy of MedScape

 
The National Alliance Of Methadone Advocates

 

Similar Posts

  • DOLOPHINEA CAFÉ

    ByAdmin
    Admin 11/16/2022

    Welcome Sponsored by Gulf Coast NAMA Join Dolophinia Cafe a Yahoo Group that is unmoderated and very informal to promote discussion, questions and answers amongt methadone patients. The group celebrates recovery through medication assisted treatment (MAT) and specifically methadone. We welcome LAAM and Buprenorphrine patients. Members: Members of the group are from all over the…

  • Directory Affiliates and Chapters

    ByAdmin
    Admin 02/12/2023

    NAMA Board of Directors Zachary Talbott, MSW, CMA President [email protected] Sharon Larson, RN, MS, CMA Vice Pressident [email protected] Brenda Davis, MSW, CASAC-T, CMA Treasurer [email protected] Megan Marx-Varela, MPA Secretary [email protected] Joycelyn Sue Woods, MA, CARC, CMA Executive Director [email protected] Paul Bowman, CMA, CARC [email protected] Sara E. Gefvert, CRS/CPS, CMA Technology and Communications [email protected] Walter Ginter, CMA Recovery and Peer Services [email protected] Charles Hilger, MSW, LDAC [email protected] Claude Hopkins,…

  • Methadone Take Home Bottle Recall

    ByAdmin
    Admin 02/17/2023

    The intent of Bottle Recall initially was to be able to allow patients take home medication and to insure that methadone is not diverted to the streets. However, methadone programs have been giving patients take home medication for years without a serious methadone diversion problem. Furthermore numerous studies have demonstrated that methadone is not a…

  • NAMA SITE SEARCH

    ByAdmin
    Admin 04/08/2022

    Search the NAMA site with Digital Equipment Corporation’s excellent ALTAVISTA search engine! Just type your search term(s) next to the text Reading “url:Methadone.org” Search for:    NOTE: This search takes you away from our site. Either use your browser’s “Back” button or choose one of the results returned by AltaVista to continue with us.  

  • Sample Letter

    ByAdmin
    Admin 04/08/2021

    ________________________________ Your Name ________________________________ Address ________________________________ City, State, Zip Date____________________________         Honorable Senator  ________________ United States Senate Washington, DC  20515 Dear Senator _____________________: On February 11, 1999 Senator McCain introduced S423 the Addiction Free Treatment Act. This legislation was intended as a political assault on the Office of National Drug Control Policy…

  • The National Methadone Conference-5

    ByAdmin
    Admin 12/15/2022

    American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence Washington, D.C. ~ April 13-16, 2003 Session: Workshop April 15, 2003 Medication – Assisted Treatment in Different Practice Settings: Patients’ Perspectives Joycelyn Woods, National Alliance of Methadone Advocates, Facilitator NAMA representativees will discuss the administration of methadone in a variety of settings. Topics will include the patients’…