Entacapone/COMT-Metabolized Agents
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
Entacapone prevents your body from processing COMT-metabolized agents.
What might happen:
Taking entacapone with COMT-metabolized agents can cause an increase in heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, and changes in blood pressure.
What you should do about this interaction:
Let your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together. Your doctor may want to change or discontinue one of your medicines. Your doctor may also want to check your blood pressure regularly. Let your doctor know if you have any dizziness, if your heart rate increases, or if you have an irregular heart beat.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
References:
1.Comtan (entacapone) US prescribing information. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation September, 2010.
2.Illi A, Sundberg S, Ojala-Karlsson P, Korhonen P, Scheinin M, Gordin A. The effect of entacapone on the disposition and hemodynamic effects of intravenous isoproterenol and epinephrine. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1995 Aug; 58(2):221-7.
