Buprenorphine and naloxone and Hydroxyzine interaction
Buprenorphine and naloxone and Hydroxyzine: both prescribing labels flag this combination with the strongest language, such as a contraindication, a boxed warning, or an instruction to avoid it.
Do not combine without a prescriber's guidance. The label language below is the strongest FDA uses.
What the FDA labels say
From the Hydroxyzine label · effective 2025-10-31
Rarely, cardiac arrests and death have been reported in association with the combined use of hydroxyzine hydrochloride intramuscularly and other CNS depressants.
PRECAUTIONS THE POTENTIATING ACTION OF HYDROXYZINE MUST BE CONSIDERED WHEN THE DRUG IS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS SUCH AS NARCOTICS, BARBITURATES AND ALCOHOL.
Therefore, when central nervous system depressants are administered concomitantly with hydroxyzine their dosage should be reduced up to 50 percent.
The efficacy of hydroxyzine as adjunctive pre- and postoperative sedative medication has also been well established, especially as regards its ability to allay anxiety, control emesis, and reduce the amount of narcotic required.
HYDROXYZINE MAY POTENTIATE NARCOTICS AND BARBITURATES, so their use in preanesthetic adjunctive therapy should be modified on an individual basis.
From the Buprenorphine and naloxone label · effective 2026-06-16
Warn patients of the potential danger of self-administration of benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants while under treatment with buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual tablets [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) , Drug Interactions (7) ] .
Risks from Concomitant Use with Benzodiazepines or Other CNS Depressants Concomitant use of buprenorphine and benzodiazepines and/or other CNS depressants (e.g., alcohol, non-benzodiazepine sedative/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids [gabapentin or pregabalin], and other opioids) increases…
In others, gradually tapering a patient off of a prescribed benzodiazepine or other CNS depressant or decreasing to the lowest effective dose may be appropriate.
Ensure that other healthcare providers prescribing benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants are aware of the patient's buprenorphine treatment and coordinate care to minimize the risks associated with concomitant use.
The risk of combining buprenorphine with other QT-prolonging agents is not known.
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Open in the checkerNot medical advice. Interaction Checker quotes FDA label text and NIH fact sheets. Whether an interaction matters for you depends on doses, timing, kidney and liver function, and other conditions. Confirm with a pharmacist or prescriber.