A Review of Drug Interactions With Psychiatric Medicines for the Pharmacy Practitioner

Abstract

With thousands of potential drug interactions, it is next to impossible to remember them all, especially with many people on multiple prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. With the increasing use of psychiatric medicines in the general population, drug interactions may occur without recognition or warning. Pharmacy computer software programs provide help with identifying the majority of potential drug interactions, but these systems are only as good as the user who develops them. Some drug interactions are negligible, whereas others are quite significant. It is most important to remember drug interactions that may have a significant clinical effect. Approximately half of all medications prescribed today are affected by cytochrome P450 enzymes, but other interactions that involve various mechanisms can also be problematic. This review identifies drug interactions that may occur with the most frequently prescribed psychiatric medications and provides a review of selected interactions that may be clinically relevant for the pharmacist to review.