Health - Sonata™ (zaleplon) and Tagamet™ (cimetidine) Interaction Danger

[pixplzthx]

So the kid around the corner was sharing with me what unknowingly happened last weekend.

In short, after eating some really good pizza and deciding to take cimetidine for heartburn TKATC was ready for bed. After taking 20 mg of zaleplon (the therapeutic dose) the rest of the night and well into the next day is gone: total black-out. The kid around the corner woke up in the hospital listening to stories of what happened "last night". Luckily, nobody was hurt (physically or emotionally).

One of the described benefits of zaleplon is its the wonderfully short half-life. However, cimetidine greatly increases the amount of zaleplon in the blood. To make matters worse, TKATC "forgot" (if you can call it that) that the medicine had already been taken and took again, multiple times. A total of 150 mg were consumed.

So be careful and read all the warnings. The kid around the corner admits to not being as careful as one should've been when taking a new medicine.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Important point. Thanks for sharing

[Jatelka]

Cimetidine inhibits both aldehyde oxidase and CY3P3A4, the primary and secondary enzymes responsible for Zaleplon metabolism.

Taking Cimetidine concomitantly with Zaleplon increases the maximal plasma level of Zaleplon by about 85%

The manufacturers recommended starting dose for people taking Cimetidine is 5mg.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Ooh clever stuff.

[old hippie 56]

There is some good medical sites where one can put all the medicine they are taking in one list and listing new meds in another list. All possible interactions are shown.
One of them found a really dangerous combination concerning swim wife meds. They are especially crucial if there is more than one doctor involved.