Does Prednisone Interact with Digitalis Glycosides?
CDI records a major classification for Prednisone and Digitalis Glycosides. The stored summary is: Patients on digitalis glycosides are at increased risk of arrhythmias due to corticosteroid-induced hypokalemia. The mechanism involves hypokalemia-induced arrhythmia risk. Patients taking both medications should consult their healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing the dosage of either drug. This record was extracted from drug labeling through openFDA. NIH/NLM RxNorm is used for drug identities. The summary and severity classification are CDI's processed information, not a verbatim source quotation. Product, route, and patient circumstances matter.
- Severity
- Major
- Prednisone Class
- Corticosteroid
- Management
- Close medical supervision required
- Data Source
- U.S. FDA via OpenFDA
Recorded Mechanism
Hypokalemia-induced arrhythmia risk
What To Tell Your Doctor or Pharmacist
If you are taking Prednisone and your doctor is considering prescribing Digitalis Glycosides (or vice versa), make sure to:
- Inform your doctor and pharmacist of all current medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements
- Ask whether the benefits of combining these medications outweigh the risks for your specific situation
- Ask what symptoms to watch for that would indicate the interaction is causing problems
- Ask how frequently you should be monitored while these are co-prescribed
- Ask whether any dosage adjustments are needed
- Never stop or change either medication without first consulting your healthcare provider