Cannabinoids, including CBD, may interact with prescribed drugs

Researchers have published a list of 57 medications that may interact with cannabinoid products, including cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) oil. The list includes commonly prescribed medications, such as anticoagulants, pain relievers, and birth control pills.

The list displays a range of medicines, including antidepressants (such as amitriptyline, clomipramine, and lofepramine); oral contraceptives (ethinylestradiol); opioid pain medications (fentanyl); thyroid hormones (levothyroxine); sedatives (propofol); and blood thinners (acenocoumarol and warfarin).

The full list of medications is available at the Penn State website.

It contains medicines with a narrow therapeutic index, which means that there is a small margin between a therapeutic dose and a toxic one. This small margin makes interactions that may increase the action of these drugs a medical concern.

The researchers have also published a longer list of 139 medicines that could have cannabinoid interactions but are lower risk. The authors say that they will routinely update these lists as new drugs get approval, and new evidence emerges.

The possible side effects of mixing cannabinoids with the prescribed drugs on the study authors’ list include dizziness, confusion, and sedation, but the authors also warn of more serious issues, including effects on the heart.

They say that changes to blood pressure and heart rhythm may occur if people take cannabinoids with medications that have similar effects on the cardiovascular system.

They recommend that doctors take account of a person’s use of cannabinoids when prescribing drugs and encourage their patients to be upfront about their cannabinoid intake — medical or otherwise.

For complete article/report go to Medical News Today