Drug Interactions Pharm 560 2 October 2002
Philip D. Hansten, PharmD Professor, School of Pharmacy University of Washington
Drugs Removed from the Market Due to Drug-Drug Interactions
• Cerivastatin (Baycol): Rhabdomyolysis
when combined with gemfibrozil • Terfenadine (Seldane): Ventricular arrhythmias with CYP3A4 inhibitors • Astemizole (Hismanal): Ventricular arrhythmias with CYP3A4 inhibitors • Cisapride (Propulsid): Ventricular arrhythmias with CYP3A4 inhibitors • Mebefradil (Posicor): Rhabdomyolysis when combined with simvastatin
Hospital Admissions due to Drug Interactions in Elderly (France)
• Prospective study of 1000 patients
> 70 yo admitted to geriatric unit • 538 patients exposed to DDIs • 130 patients developed ADIs • Most common drugs involved were cardiovascular and psychotropic
Doucet J et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1996;44:944-948.
Severe Cimetidine Adverse Drug Interactions Are Rare
• VA Hospital switched from ranitidine to
cimetidine as cost-saving measure • Retrospective study of 4570 patients on cimetidine (10% got interacting drugs) • Only 4 patients had adverse interactions
– 2 theophylline (nausea, vomiting, arrhythmia) – 1 procainamide (arrhythmia) – 1 warfarin (fatal intracerebral hemorrhage)
Scott MA et al. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 1999;56:1890-91.
Uncommon Adverse Drug Interactions
For an adverse drug interaction that occurs once in 1000 cases, one would have to study 3000 cases to have a 95% chance of observing the event.
David Hume (1711-1776)
• Scientific certainty is not possible using induction
– “All swans are white.”
• Absence of proof is not proof of absence
– “Bigfoot does not exist.” – “Those drugs do not interact.”
Assessing Drug Interactions Using Induction
Drug A + Drug B
25 Patients
NO ADR OBSERVED
Usual Conclusion: This interaction is not clinically important.
Assessing Drug Interactions Using Induction
Drug A + Drug B
25 Patients
NO ADR OBSERVED
Correct Conclusion: Available information is insufficient to determine clinical importance.
Drug Interaction Defenses
Drug A + Drug B Prescriber’s Knowledge Computer Screening Pharmacist’s Knowledge Patient Risk Factors Pharmacogenetics Drug Administration Patient Education Monitoring Defenses
ADR
Hansten PD, Horn JR. Modified from: James Reason, Human Error, 1990
Drug Interactions: “When the Holes Line Up”
A+B Prescriber’s Knowledge Computer Screening Pharmacist’s Knowledge Patient Risk Factors Drug Administration Patient Education Monitoring
Defenses
Latent Failures
ADR
Hansten PD, Horn JR. Modified from: James Reason, Human Error, 1990
Drug Interaction Errors
A+B Prescriber’s Knowledge Computer Screening Pharmacist’s Knowledge Patient Risk Factors Drug Administration Patient Education Monitoring
NO ADR
Hansten PD, Horn JR. Modified from: James Reason, Human Error, 1990
NSAIDs + SSRIs: Increased Risk of Bleeding?
• Case-control study of
1651 incident cases compared to 10,000 matched controls “The concurrent use of NSAIDs with SSRIs greatly increases risk of upper GI bleeding” SSRIs platelet uptake of serotonin
Relative Risk
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
•
1
•
Neither Drug NSAID SSRI NSAID + SSRI De Abajo FJ et al. Br Med J 1999;319:1106-1109.
Clarithromycin (Biaxin)Induced Digoxin Toxicity
• 70 YO woman on digoxin 0.25
mg/day for 4 years started on clarithromycin • After 4 days, hospitalized with nausea, vomiting, weakness, brown spots in vision, ECG abnormalities • Serum digoxin = 5.4 ng/mL
Trevedi S et al. Ann Intern Med 1998;128:604. Letter
P-glycoprotein (P-gp)
• Efflux pump: exposure to xenobiotics • Found in numerous tissues:
– – – – –
Intestinal Epithelium Biliary canaliculi Renal proximal tubules Blood-brain barrier Tumor cells
• Promiscuous: interacts with wide
variety of chemical structures
Kovarik JM et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1999;66:391-400.
P-Glycoprotein Actively Transports Drugs Out of Cell Wall
Entry via passive diffusion
Outside Cell
Cell Wall
PGP
Inside Cell = Lipophilic Drug
P-glycoprotein Involved in Digoxin Pharmacokinetics
P-glycoprotein protects against digoxin toxicity by: •Decreasing G.I. absorption •Increasing biliary excretion •Increasing renal tubular secretion •Decreasing access to the brain
Tanigawara Y. Ther Drug Monit 2000;22:137-140.
Itraconazole Increases Levels of Methylprednisolone
• Randomized crossover
Methylprednisolone AUC
8 6 4 2 0
study of 14 subjects, 4 days of itraconazole, then single dose of:
– Methylpred. 48mg – Prednisolone 60 mg
• Marked effect on
methylprednisolone, but not prednisolone
Methylprednisolone Alone Methylprednisolone + Itra.
Lebrun-Vignes B. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2001;51:443-450.
Drug Interaction Errors
A+B Prescriber’s Knowledge Computer Screening Pharmacist’s Knowledge Patient Risk Factors Drug Administration Patient Education Monitoring
NO ADR
Hansten PD, Horn JR. Modified from: James Reason, Human Error, 1990
“Asthma Sufferer Wins $28.6 Million Award” (Seattle Times 9/3/94)
• 24-year-old man on theophylline went
into ER with infection, and the ER physician gave him ciprofloxacin • Theophylline levels doubled, and he was left with permanent brain damage • Physician was awarded $22.5 million for “damage to his reputation”
St. John’s Wort Reduces Simvastatin (Zocor) Levels
• 16 subjects took 10mg
Simvastatin Acid AUC
15
simvastatin alone and after St. John’s Wort 900 mg/day X 14 days • AUC of Simvastatin & its active metabolite substantially reduced • Induction of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein? • No effect on Pravastatin
10
5
0
Simvastatin Alone Simvastatin + SJW
Sugimoto K et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2001;70:518-24.
St. John’s Wort Increases CYP3A4 Activity
• 12 subjects took probe drugs with St. John’s Wort 900mg/d X 14d
– – – – Caffeine (1A2) Tolbutamide (2C9) Dextromethorphan (2D6) Midazolam (3A4)
Serum Midazolam (% Control)
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
• Only midazolam was affected (PO > IV)
Midazolam Alone Midazolam IV Midazolam PO
Wang Z et al. Clin Pharmacol 2001;70:317-26.
Garlic Supplements Decrease Saquinavir (Invirase) Levels
• 9 subjects took 1200
Saquinavir AUC
3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0
• •
mg saquinavir TID alone and after garlic capsules BID X 20 days Allicin content of garlic capsules confirmed Garlic associated with 51% decrease in AUC of saquinavir
Saquinavir Saquinavir + Garlic
Piscitelli SC et al. 8th Conf. On Retroviruses, 2001, Abst. 743
Ibuprofen (Advil) Inhibits the Antiplatelet Effects of Aspirin
• Subjects took 81 mg ASA in AM for 6 days
with 3 ibuprofen dosing schedules:
– 400 mg 2 hours before ASA ( platelet effect) – 400 mg 2 hours after ASA (No effect on ASA) – 400 mg 2, 7 & 12 h after ASA ( platelet effect)
• Other agents did not reduce platelet effect:
– Rofecoxib (Vioxx) 25 mg before or after ASA – Diclofenac DR 75 mg BID (2 & 10 h after ASA) – Acetaminophen 1000 mg before or after ASA
Catella-Lawson F et al. New Engl J Med. 2001;345:1809-17.
Drug Interaction Errors
A+B Prescriber’s Knowledge Computer Screening Pharmacist’s Knowledge Patient Risk Factors Drug Administration Patient Education Monitoring
NO ADR
Hansten PD, Horn JR. Modified from: James Reason, Human Error, 1990
Rifampin Markedly Reduces Simvastatin Plasma Levels
• 10 subjects took 40
Simvastatin Acid AUC
18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
• •
mg simvastatin alone & after rifampin 600 mg/day for 5 days Simvastatin acid AUC decreased by 93% No effect on half-life of simvastatin; primary effect on first pass metabolism
Simvastatin Alone Simvastatin + Rifampin
Kyrklund et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;68:592-597..
Sertraline (Zoloft) Levels Reduced by Enzyme Inducers (PHT, CBZ)
• Sertraline serum levels
Sertraline C/D Ratio
100 80 60 40 20 0
compared in 9 patients on phenytoin (PHT) or carbamazepine (CBZ) versus 54 patients on just sertraline • Concentration/daily dose ratios considerably lower with enzyme inducers
Sertraline Alone Sertraline + Inducers
Pihlsgard M, Eliasson E. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2002;57:915-916.
Cushing’s Syndrome with Ritonavir + Nasal Fluticasone
• 30 YO HIV (+) man on
Plasma Cortisol
700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
• •
ritonavir and nasal fluticasone developed Cushingoid facies Positive dechallenge and rechallenge Similar case reported by Chen (1998)
Fluticasone alone Fluticasone + Ritonavir Fluticasone alone (3 weeks)
Hillebrand-Haverkort et al. AIDS 1999;13:1803.
Fluticazone Susceptible to CYP3A4 Inhibitors?
• Fluticasone metabolized by
CYP3A4 to inactive metabolite • Bioavailability of fluticasone after inhalation = 12 to 26% • CYP3A4 inhibitors theoretically would increase systemic effects of fluticasone
Drug Interaction Errors
A+B Prescriber’s Knowledge Computer Screening Pharmacist’s Knowledge Patient Risk Factors Drug Administration
Patient Education Monitoring
NO ADR
Hansten PD, Horn JR. Modified from: James Reason, Human Error, 1990
Factors Influencing Drug Interaction Outcomes
PATIENT FACTORS
Genetics
Diseases
DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Dose
Diet/Nutrition
Environment
CLINICAL OUTCOME OF DRUG INTERACTIONS
Duration
Dosing Times
Sequence
Smoking
Alcohol
Route
HIGH VARIABILITY
Dosage Form
Adapted from Hansten. Science & Medicine. 1998;5:16-25.
Fluconazole (Diflucan) + Warfarin (Coumadin)
• 7 people on warfarin
% Increase in Pro-Time
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 mean
given fluconazole 100 mg daily X 7 d • Marked increase in the PT response (but high variability) • No bleeding occurred
Patients
Crussell-Porter LL et al. Arch Intern Med 1993;153:102-104.
Fatal Hyperkalemia After Amiloride + ACE Inhibitors
• 5 patients presented to ER with severe
hyperkalemia (on ACE inhibitor with amiloride added 8 to 18 days earlier) • All 5 were over 50 & had diabetes and 4 had renal impairment • Potassium levels = 9.4 to 11 mEq/L • 2 patients died (authors recommend avoiding combination)
Chiu T-F et al. Ann Emerg Med 1997;30:612-615.
Hyperkalemia Risk Estimates With Various Combinations of Drugs
100%
Symtomatic Hyperkalemia Normal K
80%
60%
Hypokalemia
40%
20%
0%
Amiloride (Alone)
Amiloride (+ACEI)
Amiloride (+ACEI + K)
Amiloride (+ACEI + K)
Patients Predisposed to Hyperkalemia*
* e.g., Diabetes, Renal impairment, High dietary potassium, etc.