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PCE Dispertab and Topcare Anti-Diarrheal

Determining the interaction of PCE Dispertab and Topcare Anti-Diarrheal and the possibility of their joint administration.

Check result:
PCE Dispertab <> Topcare Anti-Diarrheal
Relevance: 03.12.2022 Reviewer: Shkutko P.M., M.D., in

In the database of official manuals used in the service creation an interaction registered by statistical results of studies was found, which can either lead to negative consequences for the patient health or strengthen a mutual positive effect. A doctor should be consulted to address the issue of joint drug administration.

Consumer:

Erythromycin may significantly increase the blood levels of loperamide. This can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications such as irregular heart rhythm and cardiac arrest, especially if you use more than the recommended doses of loperamide. You may also be more susceptible if you have a heart condition called congenital long QT syndrome, other cardiac diseases, conduction abnormalities, or electrolyte disturbances (for example, magnesium or potassium loss due to severe or prolonged diarrhea or vomiting). Do not exceed the dose and frequency or duration of use of loperamide recommended on the product label or prescribed by your doctor. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications. You should seek immediate medical attention if you develop sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations during treatment with these medications. 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.

Professional:

MONITOR CLOSELY: Coadministration with drugs that enhance the gastrointestinal absorption or inhibit the metabolism of loperamide (e.g., potent CYP450 3A4 or 2C8 inhibitors) may increase the plasma concentrations and adverse effects of loperamide. When a single 16 mg dose of loperamide was administered to 12 healthy volunteers with a single 600 mg dose of ritonavir, a potent CYP450 3A4 inhibitor, median loperamide systemic exposure (AUC) increased by 223% compared to administration with placebo. Likewise, administration of a single 4 mg dose of loperamide to 12 healthy volunteers on day 3 of treatment with the potent CYP450 2C8 inhibitor gemfibrozil (600 mg twice day for 5 days) increased loperamide peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and AUC by 1.6- and 2.2-fold, respectively, and prolonged its elimination half-life from 11.9 to 16.7 hours. The same study also found that gemfibrozil had substantial additive effects with itraconazole, a strong CYP450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein inhibitor, on the pharmacokinetics of loperamide. Whereas itraconazole (100 mg twice daily for 5 days) alone increased the Cmax and AUC of loperamide by 2.9- and 3.8-fold, respectively, gemfibrozil combined with itraconazole increased loperamide Cmax and AUC by 4.2- and 12.6-fold, respectively. The elimination half-life of loperamide was 18.7 hours during coadministration of itraconazole, compared to 36.9 hours during coadministration of gemfibrozil plus itraconazole. High levels of loperamide, including through abuse or misuse, has been associated with serious and potentially fatal cardiac adverse events such as syncope, cardiac arrest, and arrhythmia related to prolongation of the QT interval. According to the FDA, the agency received reports of 48 cases of serious heart problems associated with use of loperamide from when it was first approved in 1976 through 2015. Thirty-one of these cases resulted in hospitalizations, and 10 patients died. The serious heart problems occurred mostly in patients who were using loperamide dosages that were much higher than recommended in an attempt to achieve euphoria, prevent opioid withdrawal, or treat diarrhea. In the most severe cases, individuals self-treated with dosages ranging from 70 to 1600 mg/day, or 4 to 100 times the recommended dosage. In other cases, patients were taking the recommended dosage, but with concomitant interacting drugs that caused an increase in loperamide levels. There have been additional cases of serious heart problems associated with loperamide use reported in the medical literature.

MANAGEMENT: Caution is recommended if loperamide is used with drugs that enhance its gastrointestinal absorption or inhibit its metabolism. Particular caution is advised when drugs that inhibit CYP450 3A4 (e.g., azole antifungal agents, clarithromycin, cobicistat, conivaptan, delavirdine, erythromycin, idelalisib, nefazodone, protease inhibitors, telithromycin) and CYP450 2C8 (e.g., gemfibrozil, clopidogrel) are used together with loperamide, or when one or more of these drugs are combined with inhibitors of P-glycoprotein transport (e.g., amiodarone, cyclosporine, diltiazem, dronedarone, quinidine, verapamil), since they may act synergistically to increase loperamide concentrations. Patients should be counseled to not exceed the recommended dosage and frequency or duration of use of loperamide, and to seek prompt medical attention if they experience symptoms that could indicate the occurrence of torsade de pointes such as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, palpitation, irregular heart rhythm, shortness of breath, or syncope. If loperamide-induced cardiotoxicity is suspected, promptly discontinue loperamide and initiate therapy to manage and prevent cardiac arrhythmias and adverse outcomes. Electrical pacing or cardioversion may be necessary if torsade de pointes persists despite pharmacotherapy. In many of the reported cases of loperamide-induced cardiotoxicity, standard antiarrhythmic drugs were ineffective, and electrical pacing or cardioversion was necessary.

References
  • Tayrouz Y, Ganssmann B, Ding R, et al. "Ritonavir increases loperamide plasma concentrations without evidence for P-glycoprotein involvement." Clin Pharmacol Ther 70 (2001): 405-14
  • Eggleston W, Clark KH, Marraffa JM "Loperamide abuse associated with cardiac dysrhythmia and death." Ann Emerg Med 69 (2017): 83-6
  • Kim KA, Chung J, Jung DH, Park JY "Identification of cytochrome P450 isoforms involved in the metabolism of loperamide in human liver microsomes." Eur J Clin Pharmacol 60 (2004): 575-81
  • US Food and Drug Administration "FDA warns about serious heart problems with high doses of the antidiarrheal medicine loperamide (Imodium), including from abuse and misuse. Available from: URL: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM505108.pdf." ([2016, Jun 7]):
  • "Product Information. Imodium (loperamide)." Janssen Pharmaceutica, Titusville, NJ.
  • Niemi M, Tornio A, Pasanen MK, Fredrikson H, Neuvonen PJ, Backman JT "Itraconazole, gemfibrozil and their combination markedly raise the plasma concentrations of loperamide." Eur J Clin Pharmacol 62 (2006): 463-72
PCE Dispertab

Generic Name: erythromycin

Brand name: EES. Granules, EES-400 Filmtab, EryPed 200, EryPed 400, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin Lactobionate, Erythrocin Stearate Filmtab, PCE Dispertab, E. E. S, EryPed, Erythrocin, Erythromycin Filmtabs, Erythromycin Lactobionate - IV

Synonyms: PCE Dispertab (Oral), PCE, PCE (Oral)

Topcare Anti-Diarrheal

Generic Name: loperamide

Brand name: Diamode, Imodium A-D, Imodium A-D EZ Chews, Imodium A-D New Formula, Imodium, Maalox Anti-Diarrheal, Pepto Diarrhea Control, Imotil, Kao-Paverin, Kaopectate 1-D, Diar-Aid, Anti-Diarrheal [OTC]

Synonyms: Good Neighbor Anti-Diarrheal

In the course of checking the drug compatibility and interactions, data from the following reference sources was used: Drugs.com, Rxlist.com, Webmd.com, Medscape.com.

Interaction with food and lifestyle