Ephedrine
Lethal interactions
| Combination | Type | Severity | Mechanisms | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAOIs | Drug class | lethal | 6 | high |
Dangerous interactions
26 dangerous interactions recorded for this substance.
See the full interactions tableContraindications
| Condition | Severity | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular | ||
| ischemic heart disease | relative | Ephedrine use in patients with ischemic heart disease or recent MI carries elevated risk of myocardial ischemia. Case report documents acute MI in young athlete with ephedrine abuse. |
| aortic stenosis | relative | Aortic stenosis limits cardiac compensation for ephedrine-induced increases in cardiac output. |
| pheochromocytoma | absolute | Ephedrine is absolutely contraindicated in patients with pheochromocytoma due to risk of catastrophic catecholamine surge. |
| acute hypertension | absolute | Ephedrine is contraindicated in acute hypertension or hypertensive emergency. |
| tachyarrhythmia | absolute | Ephedrine is contraindicated in patients with active tachyarrhythmias. |
| Psychiatric | ||
| psychotic disorders | relative | Ephedrine use carries risk of exacerbating psychotic symptoms. Substance-induced psychotic disorder is documented with chronic use. |
| Pregnancy & Breastfeeding | ||
| pregnancy | relative | Ephedrine crosses the placenta. In obstetric anesthesia, it is associated with lower neonatal umbilical artery pH versus phenylephrine, reflecting fetal metabolic effects. |
| Other | ||
| urinary retention / prostatic hyperplasia | relative | Ephedrine may worsen urinary retention in patients with prostatic hyperplasia or pre-existing urinary obstruction. |
| MAOI therapy (within 14 days) | absolute | Concurrent or recent (within 14 days) use of any monoamine oxidase inhibitor is an absolute contraindication. Risk of hypertensive crisis is well-documented and potentially fatal. |