Drug
Zolpidem
Pronounced
"ZOL-pi-dem"
Drug Interactions
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
A product that may interact with this drug is: sodium oxybate.
Other medications can affect the removal of zolpidem from your body, which may affect how zolpidem works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as ketoconazole), rifampin, St. John's Wort, among others.
The risk of serious side effects (such as slow/shallow breathing, severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased if this medication is taken with other products that may also cause drowsiness or breathing problems. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products such as opioid pain or cough relievers (such as codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana (cannabis), other drugs for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, lorazepam, zopiclone), muscle relaxants (such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), or antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).
Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.
Negative Interactions
3- Potential Negative Interaction
Zolpidem
5-HTP
Nine cases of zolpidem-induced hallucinations associated with serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants have been reported, some lasting for several hours. 5-HTP and L-tryptophan are converted to serotonin in the brain, and taking them with zolpidem may increase zolpidem-induced hallucinations, though no interactions have yet been reported with zolpidem and 5-HTP or L-tryptophan.
5-HTPZolpidem- Elko CJ, Burgess JL, Robertson WO. Zolpidem-associated hallucinations and serotonin reuptake inhibition: a possible interaction. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1998;36:195-203.
- Potential Negative Interaction
Zolpidem
L-Tryptophan
Nine cases of zolpidem-induced hallucinations associated with serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants have been reported, some lasting for several hours. 5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) and L-tryptophan are converted to serotonin in the brain, and taking them with zolpidem may increase zolpidem-induced hallucinations, though no interactions have yet been reported with zolpidem and 5-HTP or L-tryptophan.
L-TryptophanZolpidem- Elko CJ, Burgess JL, Robertson WO. Zolpidem-associated hallucinations and serotonin reuptake inhibition: a possible interaction. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1998;36:195-203.
- Reduces Effectiveness
Zolpidem
St. John’s Wort
In healthy volunteers, supplementation with St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) along with zolpidem decreased blood levels of zolpidem, apparently by accelerating the metabolism of the drug.St. John’s WortZolpidem- Hojo Y, Echizenya M, Ohkubo T, Shimizu T. Drug interaction between St John's wort and zolpidem in healthy subjects. J Clin Pharm Ther 2011;36:711-5.