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New Drug Interaction Warnings For The Antidepressant Trazodone (DESYREL)

Worst Pills, Best Pills Newsletter article August, 2004

In May 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that new drug interaction warnings are now required in the professional product labeling or package insert for the antidepressant trazodone (DESYREL). Health Canada, the Canadian drug regulatory authority, announced similar warnings for the drug on July 9, 2004.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of resolve on the part of the FDA, patients do not have access to the information in a drug’s professional product labeling unless the...

In May 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that new drug interaction warnings are now required in the professional product labeling or package insert for the antidepressant trazodone (DESYREL). Health Canada, the Canadian drug regulatory authority, announced similar warnings for the drug on July 9, 2004.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of resolve on the part of the FDA, patients do not have access to the information in a drug’s professional product labeling unless the patient specifically asks for the labeling. The situation is little better in Canada. In both countries, the bulk of printed information distributed by pharmacists to prescription consumers is unregulated, and it is frequently inaccurate or out-of-date and thus potentially dangerous.

The drugs now listed as interacting with trazodone are:

carbamazepine (TEGRETOL)
indinavir (CRIXIVAN)
ketoconazole (NIZORAL)
ritonavir (KALETRA, NORVIR)

Carbamazepine is a drug approved to treat seizure disorders and a painful nerve condition known as trigeminal neuralgia. Ketoconazole is an antifungal agent, and indinavir and ritonavir are both used to treat HIV/AIDS.

When trazodone is combined with the drugs listed above, you may experience the following symptoms: nausea, low blood pressure, temporary loss of consciousness (increased trazodone blood levels), or decreased effectiveness of the trazodone treatment (decreased trazodone blood levels).

What You Can Do

You should contact your physician as soon as possible if you are taking trazodone with any of the drugs listed above.