Abstract
Background: Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) could be involved in several drug-drug interactions (DDIs) because of their complex pharmacodynamic and/or pharmacokinetic properties.
Aim: To identify spontaneous reports in the French Pharmacovigilance Database containing DDIs with the three ChEIs marketed in France (donepezil, galantamine or rivastigmine) and to compare the informativity of two national drug references, the French national formulary (Vidal) and the British National Formulary (BNF), for their ability to identify ChEI-related DDIs.
Methods: Spontaneous reports submitted to the French Pharmacovigilance Database concerning donepezil, galantamine or rivastigmine were reviewed by two clinical pharmacologists from Toulouse Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre. Spontaneous reports containing DDIs were identified according to Vidal, BNF or their own judgement (and with use of the interaction supplement of the French independent drug information bulletin La Revue Prescrire). Then, the potential of DDIs to result in adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was evaluated. Finally, the presentations of the different ChEIs in the two references (Vidal, BNF) were compared for their DDI informativity.
Results: A total of 1058 spontaneous reports were identified that involved ChEIs in the French Pharmacovigilance Database up to 31 March 2006; of these 376 (35.5%) contained at least one DDI according to experts’ judgement. In total, 118 DDIs (31.4%) were the cause of ADRs. Most of the DDIs were due to pharmacodynamic interactions (247 cases, 65.7%). The most frequently encountered drugs involved in DDIs were bradycardic (205 cases, 54.5%) and anticholinergic (118 cases, 31.4%) drugs. DDIs were found in 309 spontaneous reports (29.2%) according to Vidal and in 127 (12.0%) according to BNF. In total, 88 ’serious’ ADRs were related to DDIs (including seven deaths, mainly due to cardiovascular ADRs). The most frequently observed ADRs due to DDIs were cardiovascular (67 cases, mainly bradycardia, atrioventricular block and arterial hypotension) and neurological (33 cases, mainly mental confusion). Comparison of the different presentations of summary of product characteristics (SPC) showed that Vidal was more informative than BNF for all the ChEIs, and that galantamine had the most complete data in the two references.
Conclusion: DDIs were present in more than one-third of spontaneous reports including ChEIs registered in the French Pharmacovigilance Database. Approximately, one-third of these DDIs were the cause of ADRs. The informativity of European drug dictionaries differs substantially and Vidal was found to be more informative than BNF for all the ChEIs.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
1The use of trade names is for product identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.
References
Perry EK. The cholinergic hypothesis: ten years on. Br Med Bull 1986; 42: 63–9
Feinberg M. The problems of anticholinergic adverse effects in older patients. Drugs Aging 1993; 3: 335–48
Moore AR, O’Keeffe ST. Drug-induced cognitive impairment in the elderly. Drugs Aging 1999; 15: 15–28
Goodman Gilman A, Hardman GJ. The pharmacological basis of therapeutics. In: Standaert DG, Young AB, editors. Treat-ment of central nervous system degenerative disorders. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001: 560–2
Johnston MV. Cognitive disorders. In: Johnston MV, MacDon-ald RL, Young AB, editors. Principles of drug therapy in neurology. Philadelphia (PA): Davis, 1992: 226–67
Rogers SL, Friedhoff LT. Long-term efficacy and safety of donepezil in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: an interim analysis of the results of a US multicentre open label extension study. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 1998; 8: 67–75
Sweetman CS. Martidale: the complete drug reference. 34th ed.
Donepezil (aricept). In: Current problems in pharmacovigilance. Vol. 25. London: MHRA, CHM, 1999 Mar [online]. Available from URL: http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&useSecondary=true&ssDocName=CON007467&ssTargetNodeId=368 [Accessed 2007 Oct 11]
Alzheimer’s disease: beware of interactions with cholinesterase inhibitors. Prescrire Int 2006; 15: 103–6
Defilippi JL, Crismon ML. Drug interactions with cholinesterase inhibitors. Drugs Aging 2003; 20: 437–44
Roe CM, Anderson MJ, Spivack B. Use of anticholinergic medications by older adults with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002; 50: 836–42
Lu CJ, Tune LE. Chronic exposure to anticholinergic medications adversely affects the course of Alzheimer disease. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2003; 11: 458–61
Evans R, Ireland G, Morley JE, et al. Pharmacology and aging. In: Sanders AB, editor. Emergency care of the elder person. St Louis (MO): Beverly Cracom Publications, 1996: 29–41
Terrell KM, Heard K, Miller DK. Prescribing to older ED patients. Am J Emerg Med 2006; 24: 468–78
Resnick NM. Geriatric medicine. In: Fouci AS, Braunwald E, Isselbacher KJ, et al., editors. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. Vol. 1. 14th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1998: 37–46
Schwartz JB. Clinical pharmacology. In: Hazzard WR, Blass JP, Ettinger Jr WH, et al., editors. Principles of geriatric medicine and gerontology. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1999: 303–31
Oates JA, Wilkinson GR. Principles of drug therapy. In: Fouci AS, Braunwald E, Isselbacher KJ, et al., editors. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. Vol. 1. 14th ed. New York: McGraw-Hil Companies Inc., 1998: 411–22
Wong FS, Rho JP. Drug dosing and life-threatening drug reactions in the critically ill patient. In: Yoshikawa TT, Norman DC, editors. Acute emergencies and critical care of the geriat-ric patient. New York: Marcel Dekker Inc., 2000: 31–47
Portail Insée. Recensement de la population, Mars 1999 [online]. Available from URL: http://www.recensement.insee.fr [Accessed 2006 27 Nov 27]
Dictionnaire VIDAL. 82nd ed. Paris: O.V.P eds., 2006
British National Formulary. 51st ed. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2006
Sauwer F. Regulatory perspectives at European level. In: Fracchia GN, ed. European medicines research: prospectives in pharmacotoxicology and pharmacovigilance. Amsterdam: IOS Press, 1994: 30–6
Spreux A, Baldin B, Chichmanian RM. The pharmacovigilance system in practice. Transfus Clin Biol 1999; 6: 254–9
Welsch M, Alt M, Richard MH, et al. The French pharmacovigi-lance system: structure and missions. Press Med 2000; 29: 102–6
Edwards IR, Aronson JK. Adverse drug reactions: definitions, diagnosis and management. Lancet 2000; 356: 1255–9
Interactions medicamenteuses, comprendre et decider. Rev Prescrire 2006; 270 (Suppl.): 110–4
Moore N, Noblet C, Kreft-Jais C, et al. La banque de cas du système français de Pharmacovigilance: quelques exemples d’exploitation. Thérapie 1995; 50: 557–62
Gony M, Lapeyre-Mestre M, Montastruc JL. Risk of serious extrapyramidal symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease receiving antidepressant drugs: a pharmacoepidemiologic study comparing serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other antidepressant drugs. Clin Neuropharmacol 2003; 26: 142–5
Guitton E, Montastruc JL, Lapeyre-Mestre M. French network of pharmacovigilance centers: influence of HCV or HBV coinfection on adverse drug reactions to antiretroviral drugs in HIV patients. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2006; 62: 243–9
Berthet S, Lapeyre-Mestre M, Montastruc JL. Prevalence of diabetes in France and drug use: study based on the French Pharmacovigilance Database [in French]. Thérapie. In press
Ramaroson H, Helmer C, Barberger-Gateau P, et al. Prevalence de la déemence et de la maladie d’ Alzheimer chez les personnes de 75 ans et plus: donnees réactualisées de la cohorte PA-QUID. Rev Neurol 2003; 159: 405–11
Magnier V, Flipon E, Godefroy O, et al. Traitement anticholinestérasique de la maladie d’Alzheimer en Picardie. Rev Neurol 2005; 161: 211–3
Remy N, Lapeyre-Mestre M, Bareille MP, et al. Drug interactions: a prospective pilot study in primary health care [in French]. Thérapie 2000; 55: 395–8
Lechevallier-Michel N, Molimard M, Dartigues JF, et al. Drugs with anticholinergic properties and cognitive performance in the elderly: results from the PAQUID study. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2005: 59: 143–51
Doucet J, Kalimoutou S, Chédru C, et al. Are the prescriptions of anticholinergic drugs adapted to the associated diseases and/ or drugs in the Alzheimer’s dementia? [in French]. Thérapie 2006; 61: 23–7
Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé« Réminyl○ (galantamine) et mortalite: résultats de deux essais cliniquesmenés chez des patients atteints d’une altération moderéé de la fonction cognitive » 24 January 2005 [online]. Available from URL: http://www.afssaps.sante.fr [Accessed 2005 Jan 28]
AD2000 Collaborative Group. Long-term donepezil treatment in 565 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD2000): randomized double-blind trial. Lancet 2004; 363: 2105–15
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all members of the network of French Regional Centres of Pharmacovigilance. No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tavassoli, N., Sommet, A., Lapeyre-Mestre, M. et al. Drug Interactions with Cholinesterase Inhibitors. Drug-Safety 30, 1063–1071 (2007). https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200730110-00005
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200730110-00005