Promacta interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Promacta interactions with other medications  

Before you start treatment with Promacta, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Promacta interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Promacta and other interactions” section.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Promacta. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Promacta. The “Drug interactions in depth” section describes some of these interactions in detail.

Promacta interaction with alcohol

There are no known interactions between Promacta and alcohol. However, your doctor may advise you to avoid or limit alcohol consumption during Promacta treatment.

This is because drinking alcohol while taking the drug may worsen some of Promacta’s side effects. For example, you may experience:

• nausea
• vomiting
• headache
• sleepiness

In addition, consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause liver damage. Promacta may also cause liver damage as a side effect.* This means that drinking alcohol during Promacta treatment may increase the risk of liver problems.

If you consume alcohol during Promacta treatment, these side effects may be more likely to occur. If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Promacta, talk with your doctor.

* Promacta has a boxed warning about the risk of liver damage. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more about this warning, see “Boxed warnings” at the top of this article.

Drug interactions in depth

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Promacta.

Certain antacids

Promacta can interact with certain antacids. These medications treat indigestion and heartburn.

Interaction result:Taking Promacta with certain antacids can make Promacta less effective.

Interaction explained:Certain antacids can bind (attach) to Promacta if you take these medications together. This results in your body absorbing less Promacta, making the medication less effective at treating your condition.

Examples of certain antacids: Here are some antacids that may interact with Promacta:

• calcium carbonate (Tums)
• aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide
• magnesium carbonate/aluminum hydroxide (Gaviscon)
• calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide (Rolaids)

Steps you or your doctor may take:Because Promacta and certain antacids interact, you should not take these medications together at the same time. To help lower the risk of this interaction, you can take Promacta at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after you take an antacid that interacts with the drug.

Another option is to talk with your doctor about other treatments for indigestion or heartburn that don’t interact with Promacta. They can review other treatment options that don’t affect Promacta or other medications you take.

Certain statins

Promacta can interact with certain statins. Statins are a type of cholesterol medication prescribed to treat high cholesterol. They’re also used to help prevent certain risks in certain adults, such as the risk of heart disease or some other heart problems.

Interaction result: Taking Promacta and certain statins together can increase the effect and risk of side effects of certain statins.

Interaction explained: After you take a medication, your body relies on certain proteins to transport the drug throughout your body. This helps your body break down, use, and get rid of the medication.

Promacta can lower the activity of specific enzymes called OATP1B1 and BCRP. These proteins work to transport certain statins after you take a dose. So by lowering the activity of these proteins, Promacta can increase the statin levels in your system. This can raise your risk of statin side effects, including muscle-related side effects.

Examples of statin drugs: Some statins that may interact with Promacta include:

• atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• fluvastatin
• pitavastatin (Livalo)
• pravastatin
• simvastatin (Zocor)
• rosuvastatin (Crestor)

Steps you or your doctor may take: If you’re prescribed Promacta and need to take a statin, your doctor may prescribe one that doesn’t interact with Promacta, such as lovastatin. Or if you need to take a statin that interacts with Promacta, they may prescribe a lower dose of the statin. For example, in clinical trials of Promacta, doctors often prescribed a lower dose of rosuvastatin for people who took both Promacta and rosuvastatin.

Promacta and other interactions

Promacta may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Promacta.

Promacta interactions with supplements

Before you start treatment with Promacta, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Promacta interactions with herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Promacta. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Promacta treatment.

Promacta interactions with vitamins and minerals

Promacta can interact with numerous minerals, including:

• aluminum
• calcium
• iron
• magnesium
• selenium
• zinc

Taking Promacta at the same time as a supplement containing one or more of these minerals can make Promacta less effective because these minerals can bind to Promacta. This causes your body to absorb less Promacta, making the medication less effective at treating your condition.

If you take a supplement that contains one or more minerals that interact with Promacta, your doctor will recommend you take Promacta at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after you take the supplement. Many multivitamins contain one or more of the minerals above that interact with Promacta. If you’re prescribed Promacta and take a multivitamin, ask your doctor or pharmacist to help determine if it interacts with Promacta.

Before you start treatment with Promacta, tell your doctor and pharmacist which vitamins and other supplements you take. They can advise you on whether Promacta may interact with any of them.

Promacta interactions with food

Promacta can interact with calcium-rich foods, including dairy products such as milk. If you consume any calcium-rich foods at the same time as taking Promacta, the calcium can bind to Promacta and stop your body from absorbing it. This means Promacta may not treat your condition as well.

Examples of foods rich in calcium include:

• milk
• yogurt
• cheese
• certain fortified breakfast cereals and fortified fruit juices
• green leafy vegetables, such as kale and broccoli

To help avoid this interaction, you should take Promacta at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after consuming foods rich in calcium. This includes milk that you might add to tea or coffee.

Promacta interactions with vaccines

There are no known interactions between Promacta and vaccines. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see whether you’re due for any vaccines.

Promacta interactions with lab tests

Promacta is not known to interact with any lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

PROMACTA INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Promacta. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Promacta. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Promacta treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Promacta and health-related interactions

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Promacta. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Promacta may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Promacta include:

• Cataracts: Some people taking Promacta in clinical trials reported cataracts as a side effect. If you already have cataracts, taking Promacta may worsen them. Your doctor can help decide whether it’s safe for you to take Promacta.
• Conditions that affect blood clotting: Promacta works by increasing platelet counts, which can raise your risk of blood clots. If you have a condition that affects blood clotting, such as Factor V Leiden, you may have a higher risk of blood clots as a side effect if you take Promacta.
• Current or past blood clot: Promacta works by increasing platelet counts, which can raise your risk of blood clots. If you currently have a blood clot, taking Promacta may worsen it. Your doctor can help decide whether it’s safe for you to take Promacta. They may want to treat it first before prescribing Promacta.
• Liver condition: Promacta has a boxed warning about the risk of liver damage. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more about this warning, see “Boxed warnings” at the top of this article. If you have an existing liver condition, such as cirrhosis, Promacta may worsen it.
• Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS): In clinical trials, people with MDS who took Promacta had an increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia. If you have MDS, talk with your doctor about the potential risks and benefits of taking Promacta.
• East Asian or Southeast Asian ancestry: If you have East Asian or Southeast Asian ancestry and take Promacta to treat ITP, your doctor may prescribe a lower starting dosage of Promacta. This is because this group of people may have greater sensitivity to the drug. However, if you’re of East Asian or Southeast Asian ancestry and have hepatitis C, your doctor will likely prescribe the typical starting dosage of Promacta.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Promacta or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Promacta. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
• Breastfeeding: It’s not recommended to take Promacta while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk. But based on how the medication works, Promacta may cause serious side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding an infant or planning to, talk with your doctor before taking Promacta. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed a child who is breastfed.
• Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Promacta is safe to take while pregnant. Animal studies show that the drug may cause congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects) or pregnancy loss. However, it’s important to note that animal studies don’t always indicate what may happen in humans. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Promacta treatment. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.

Preventing interactions

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Promacta. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Promacta label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Promacta doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Promacta by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.