Drug Interactions With Buspirone

A number of medicines may potentially cause drug interactions with buspirone, including certain seizure medications, rifamycin antibiotics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These potentially negative interactions may increase your risk of developing serious side effects and may decrease the effectiveness of the medications. Buspirone drug interactions may cause lightheadedness, weakness, dizziness, dangerously high blood pressure, and drowsiness, among other things.

 

Drug Interactions With Buspirone: An Overview

Buspirone hydrochloride (BuSpar®) can potentially interact with a number of other medications, especially those that affect the brain. Some of the medicines that may lead to buspirone drug interactions include:
 
  • Alcohol
 
  • Certain antibiotics or antifungals, such as:
o Clarithromycin (Biaxin®)
o Erythromycin (Ery-Tab®)
o Isoniazid (Nydrazid®)
o Itraconazole (Sporanox®)
o Ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
o Telithromycin (Ketek®)
  • Certain seizure medications, such as:
o Carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro™, Tegretol®, Tegretol XR®)
o Fosphenytoin (Cerebyx®)
o Phenobarbital (Luminal®)
o Pentobarbital (Nembutal®)
 
 
  • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as:
 
  • Rifamycin antibiotics, including rifabutin (Mycobutin®), rifampin (Rifadin®), and rifapentine (Priftin®)
 
Grapefruit juice can also interact with buspirone. Studies have shown that grapefruit juice can increase the level of buspirone in your blood, possibly increasing your risk of side effects. It is best to avoid drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice while taking the drug.
 
(Drug Interactions With Buspirone Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;