Gabapentin and Temazepam interaction

• Respiratory Depression: May occur with NEURONTIN when used with concomitant central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including opioids, or in the setting of underlying respiratory impairment.

Respiratory Depression There is evidence from case reports, human studies, and animal studies associating gabapentin with serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression when coadministered with CNS depressants, including opioids, or in the setting of underlying respiratory impairment.

The management of respiratory depression may include close observation, supportive measures, and reduction or withdrawal of CNS depressants (including NEURONTIN).

When the decision is made to co-prescribe NEURONTIN with another CNS depressant, particularly an opioid, or to prescribe NEURONTIN to patients with underlying respiratory impairment, monitor patients for symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation, and consider initiating NEURONTIN at a low dose.

Patients should be carefully observed for signs of central nervous system (CNS) depression, such as somnolence and sedation, when NEURONTIN is used with other drugs with sedative properties because of potential synergy.

Although behaviors such as “sleep-driving” may occur with temazepam capsules alone at therapeutic doses, the use of alcohol and other CNS depressants with temazepam capsules appear to increase the risk of such behaviors, as does the use of temazepam capsules at doses exceeding the maximum recommended dose.

The benzodiazepines, including temazepam, produce additive CNS-depressant effects when co-administered with other CNS depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates, antipsychotics, sedative/hypnotics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, narcotic analgesics, sedative antihistamines, anticonvulsants, and anesthetics.

This behavior is more likely to occur when temazepam capsules are taken with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants ( see WARNINGS ).