METAXALONE Drug Interactions
Also known as: Metaxalone
Metaxalone is a muscle relaxant used to relieve discomfort from acute, painful muscle and bone conditions. While its exact action isn't fully understood, it's thought to help by causing a calming effect. It's typically used alongside rest and physical therapy to help patients feel better.METAXALONE has 10 documented drug interactions in our database, including 0 contraindicated, 10 major, 0 moderate, and 0 minor interactions.
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Contraindicated
10
Major
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Moderate
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Minor
Patients may experience increased sedation, dizziness, confusion, and psychomotor impairment. The most serious clinical effect is an increased risk of respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening, especially in opioid-naive patients or those with underlying respiratory compromise.
Mechanism
Buprenorphine, an opioid partial agonist, and metaxalone, a central nervous system (CNS) depressant muscle relaxant, both exert their primary effects by depressing CNS activity. The co-administration of these agents leads to an additive pharmacodynamic effect, increasing the overall CNS depression.
Clinical Management
Avoid concomitant use if possible. If co-administration is necessary, initiate buprenorphine at a lower dose and titrate slowly while closely monitoring for signs of respiratory depression and excessive sedation. Educate patients about the risks and advise against driving or operating heavy machinery.
Patients may experience increased sedation, dizziness, confusion, and impaired coordination. The most serious clinical effect is respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Other effects include hypotension, syncope, and coma.
Mechanism
Both fentanyl, an opioid analgesic, and metaxalone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, exert central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects. When co-administered, their individual CNS depressant actions are additive, leading to an increased risk of profound sedation, respiratory depression, and psychomotor impairment. This interaction primarily involves their respective effects on GABAergic and opioid receptors in the brain.
Clinical Management
Concomitant use should be avoided if possible. If co-administration is necessary, initiate both drugs at the lowest effective doses and titrate carefully, monitoring closely for signs of respiratory depression and excessive sedation. Educate patients about the risks and advise against driving or operating heavy machinery. Consider alternative non-opioid analgesics or non-pharmacological treatments.
Patients may experience severe sedation, respiratory depression, dizziness, impaired psychomotor function, and confusion. In severe cases, this can lead to coma, respiratory arrest, and death. The impairment of motor skills can also increase the risk of falls and accidents.
Mechanism
Both oxycodone, an opioid analgesic, and metaxalone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, exert central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects. This interaction is primarily pharmacodynamic, leading to an additive depressant effect on the brain and spinal cord. The combined action enhances GABAergic activity or reduces excitatory neurotransmission, resulting in profound CNS depression.
Clinical Management
Avoid concomitant use if possible. If co-administration is necessary, initiate both medications at the lowest effective doses and titrate slowly while closely monitoring for signs of CNS and respiratory depression. Educate patients about the risks, advise against operating heavy machinery or driving, and instruct them to seek immediate medical attention for severe drowsiness or difficulty breathing. Consider alternative non-opioid analgesics or non-pharmacological therapies if appropriate.
Patients may experience profound sedation, dizziness, confusion, and psychomotor impairment. The most serious clinical effect is an increased risk of respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Hypotension and syncope may also occur.
Mechanism
Morphine, an opioid agonist, primarily acts on mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) to produce analgesia and CNS depression. Metaxalone is a centrally acting muscle relaxant, whose exact mechanism is not fully understood but is thought to involve general CNS depression. The co-administration of these agents results in additive depressant effects on the CNS.
Clinical Management
Concomitant use of morphine and metaxalone should be avoided or used with extreme caution if no alternative treatments are adequate. If co-administration is necessary, initiate with the lowest effective doses of both drugs and titrate slowly while closely monitoring for signs of CNS and respiratory depression. Educate patients and caregivers about the risks and symptoms of CNS depression and respiratory depression.
Patients may experience profound sedation, respiratory depression, hypotension, dizziness, and impaired psychomotor function. This combination significantly increases the risk of falls, accidental injury, and potentially life-threatening respiratory compromise.
Mechanism
Both tramadol and metaxalone exert central nervous system (CNS) depressant effects. Tramadol acts as a weak opioid agonist and also inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, while metaxalone's muscle relaxant properties are attributed to general CNS depression. The co-administration leads to an additive depressant effect on the CNS.
Clinical Management
Avoid concomitant use of tramadol and metaxalone if possible. If co-administration is unavoidable, initiate treatment with the lowest effective doses of both medications and monitor patients closely for signs of CNS depression, particularly during treatment initiation or dose escalation. Educate patients about the risks and advise against operating machinery or driving.
Patients may experience increased sedation, dizziness, confusion, and psychomotor impairment. The most serious clinical effect is an enhanced risk of respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Other effects include hypotension and profound drowsiness.
Mechanism
Codeine sulfate, an opioid analgesic, primarily acts as a mu-opioid receptor agonist, leading to central nervous system (CNS) depression. Metaxalone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, also produces CNS depression through an unknown mechanism, possibly by general CNS depression. The co-administration of these agents results in an additive depressant effect on the CNS.
Clinical Management
Concomitant use should be avoided if possible. If co-administration is necessary, initiate both medications at the lowest effective doses and titrate carefully, monitoring closely for signs of CNS and respiratory depression. Educate patients about the risks and advise against operating heavy machinery or driving. Consider alternative non-opioid analgesics or non-pharmacological therapies if appropriate.
Patients may experience profound sedation, dizziness, and impaired psychomotor function, increasing the risk of falls and accidents. The most serious clinical effect is an increased risk of respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Other effects include mental confusion, hypotension, and syncope.
Mechanism
Both methadone, an opioid analgesic, and metaxalone, a centrally acting muscle relaxant, exert depressant effects on the central nervous system (CNS). The co-administration of these agents leads to an additive pharmacological effect, intensifying CNS depression. This interaction primarily involves their respective actions on neurotransmitter systems that modulate brain activity, resulting in synergistic inhibition.
Clinical Management
Avoid concomitant use if possible. If co-administration is necessary, initiate both drugs at the lowest effective doses and titrate cautiously. Closely monitor patients for signs of respiratory depression, sedation, and altered mental status, especially during initiation or dose changes. Educate patients about the risks and advise against operating heavy machinery or driving.
Patients may experience profound sedation, increased risk of respiratory depression, hypotension, and psychomotor impairment. This can lead to decreased level of consciousness, dizziness, confusion, and impaired coordination, significantly increasing the risk of falls and accidental injury.
Mechanism
Hydromorphone, an opioid analgesic, primarily acts on mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) to produce analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression. Metaxalone, a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant, also exerts its effects through general CNS depression. The concurrent administration of these two agents results in an additive depressant effect on the CNS.
Clinical Management
Avoid concurrent use of hydromorphone and metaxalone if possible. If co-administration is unavoidable, initiate both medications at the lowest effective doses and titrate cautiously. Closely monitor patients for signs of CNS and respiratory depression, including sedation, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Educate patients about the risks and advise against operating heavy machinery or driving.
Patients may experience profound sedation, respiratory depression, hypotension, coma, and even death. Impaired psychomotor function, dizziness, and confusion are also common, increasing the risk of falls and accidents.
Mechanism
Oxymorphone, an opioid agonist, produces central nervous system (CNS) depression by binding to mu-opioid receptors. Metaxalone, a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant, also causes generalized CNS depression. The concurrent use of these agents results in an additive depressant effect on the CNS.
Clinical Management
Avoid concomitant use of oxymorphone and metaxalone if possible. If co-administration is necessary, initiate both drugs at the lowest effective doses and titrate carefully, monitoring closely for signs of respiratory depression and excessive sedation. Educate patients about the risks and advise against driving or operating heavy machinery.
Patients may experience profound sedation, dizziness, confusion, and impaired psychomotor function. There is an increased risk of respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening, and hypotension. These effects significantly increase the risk of falls and accidental injury.
Mechanism
Tapentadol is an opioid analgesic with mu-opioid receptor agonist and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition properties, both contributing to central nervous system (CNS) depression. Metaxalone is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant whose exact mechanism is not fully understood but is believed to involve general CNS depression. The coadministration of these agents leads to an additive depressant effect on the CNS.
Clinical Management
Avoid concomitant use of tapentadol and metaxalone if possible. If coadministration is necessary, initiate both medications at the lowest effective doses and titrate slowly while closely monitoring for signs of CNS and respiratory depression. Educate the patient about the risks, advise against operating heavy machinery or driving, and instruct them to seek immediate medical attention for severe drowsiness or difficulty breathing.
For complete prescribing information:
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