Verapamil-rifampin interaction. 1985

R A Barbarash

A case of verapamil-rifampin interaction is presented in a patient receiving verapamil for supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and rifampin for pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient experienced recurrent symptomatic SVT, despite receiving verapamil 480 mg po q6h. Serum verapamil concentrations were determined to be extremely low. Discontinuation of rifampin and substitution of ethambutol resulted in an almost four-fold increase in verapamil levels with concurrent control of SVT. Rifampin may have increased the metabolism of verapamil by inducing hepatic microsomal enzymes resulting in low verapamil levels and failure to control SVT.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D004347 Drug Interactions The action of a drug that may affect the activity, metabolism, or toxicity of another drug. Drug Interaction,Interaction, Drug,Interactions, Drug
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D001682 Biological Availability The extent to which the active ingredient of a drug dosage form becomes available at the site of drug action or in a biological medium believed to reflect accessibility to a site of action. Availability Equivalency,Bioavailability,Physiologic Availability,Availability, Biologic,Availability, Biological,Availability, Physiologic,Biologic Availability,Availabilities, Biologic,Availabilities, Biological,Availabilities, Physiologic,Availability Equivalencies,Bioavailabilities,Biologic Availabilities,Biological Availabilities,Equivalencies, Availability,Equivalency, Availability,Physiologic Availabilities
D012293 Rifampin A semisynthetic antibiotic produced from Streptomyces mediterranei. It has a broad antibacterial spectrum, including activity against several forms of Mycobacterium. In susceptible organisms it inhibits DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity by forming a stable complex with the enzyme. It thus suppresses the initiation of RNA synthesis. Rifampin is bactericidal, and acts on both intracellular and extracellular organisms. (From Gilman et al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed, p1160) Rifampicin,Benemycin,Rifadin,Rimactan,Rimactane,Tubocin
D013610 Tachycardia Abnormally rapid heartbeat, usually with a HEART RATE above 100 beats per minute for adults. Tachycardia accompanied by disturbance in the cardiac depolarization (cardiac arrhythmia) is called tachyarrhythmia. Tachyarrhythmia,Tachyarrhythmias,Tachycardias
D014376 Tuberculosis Any of the infectious diseases of man and other animals caused by species of MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS. Koch's Disease,Kochs Disease,Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection,Infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Infections, Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Koch Disease,Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections,Tuberculoses
D014700 Verapamil A calcium channel blocker that is a class IV anti-arrhythmia agent. Iproveratril,Calan,Cordilox,Dexverapamil,Falicard,Finoptin,Isoptin,Isoptine,Izoptin,Lekoptin,Verapamil Hydrochloride,Hydrochloride, Verapamil

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