Cimzia interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Cimzia interactions with other medications  

Before you start treatment with Cimzia, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Cimzia interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Cimzia and other interactions” section below.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Cimzia. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Cimzia. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

When to avoid Cimzia

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Cimzia due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Cimzia include:

Having had an allergic reaction to Cimzia or any of its ingredients

If you have had an allergic reaction to Cimzia or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Cimzia. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Note: Before you start treatment with Cimzia, it’s important to tell your doctor if this contraindication applies to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Cimzia.

Cimzia interaction with alcohol

There are no known interactions between Cimzia and alcohol.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Cimzia, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions in depth

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Cimzia.

Other tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers

Cimzia can interact with other TNF blockers. (Cimzia is a TNF blocker). TNF blockers are prescribed to treat many different conditions, including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease.

Interaction result:Taking Cimzia and another TNF blocker can raise your risk for immunosuppression (weakened immune system) and infection as a side effect of Cimzia and other TNF blockers.

Interaction explained:Cimzia and other TNF blockers work by decreasing activity in your immune system. This works to treat symptoms of certain conditions but also raises your risk for infection. Taking Cimzia together with another TNF blocker further raises the risk of infection.

Examples of other TNF blocker drugs: Here are some TNF blockers that may interact with Cimzia:

• adalimumab (Humira)
• etanercept (Enbrel)
• golimumab (Simponi)
• infliximab (Remicade)

Steps you or your doctor may take:Due to the risk of infection, doctors typically won’t prescribe Cimzia together with another TNF blocker. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’d like to learn more about other medications that treat your condition which may be safe to take with Cimzia.

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors

Cimzia can interact with JAK inhibitors. JAK inhibitors are prescribed to treat several different conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis.

Interaction result: Taking Cimzia and a JAK inhibitor together can raise your risk of immunosuppression (weakened immune system) and infection as a side effect of Cimzia and JAK inhibitors.

Interaction explained: Both Cimzia and JAK inhibitors work by decreasing activity in your immune system. This works to treat symptoms of certain conditions but also raises your risk for infection. Taking Cimzia together with a JAK inhibitor further raises the risk of infection.

Examples of JAK inhibitor drugs: Here are some JAK inhibitors that may interact with Cimzia:

• baricitinib (Olumiant)
• tofacitinib (Xeljanz)
• upadacitinib (Rinvoq)

Steps you or your doctor may take: Due to this risk, doctors typically won’t prescribe Cimzia together with a JAK inhibitor. Instead, ask your doctor about other medications that can treat your condition that are safe to take with Cimzia.

Cimzia and other interactions

Cimzia may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Cimzia.

Cimzia interactions with supplements

It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Cimzia interactions with herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Cimzia. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Cimzia treatment.

Cimzia interactions with vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Cimzia. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Cimzia.

Cimzia interactions with food

There were no reports of food interactions with Cimzia. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Cimzia, talk with your doctor.

Cimzia interactions with vaccines

Cimzia is known to interact with live vaccines. A live vaccine contains live but weakened pieces of the virus or bacterium it’s meant to defend against. When your immune system is healthy, live vaccines usually won’t cause infection.

But Cimzia works by weakening your immune system. So if you get a live vaccine, your immune system may not be able to fight the virus or bacterium. This may cause you to become sick or develop symptoms of the illness the vaccine is meant to prevent.

Examples of live vaccines to avoid during Cimzia treatment include:

• measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• chickenpox
• flu vaccine (nasal spray form)

Before starting Cimzia, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any vaccines you may need.

Cimzia interactions with lab tests

Cimzia may interfere with the results of the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) test. This test is used to measure how long it takes your blood to clot. Cimzia may cause an incorrect test result that states you have a blood clotting problem when you actually don’t.

If you’re prescribed Cimzia, your doctor may recommend different tests to gather this information.

For additional information, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

CIMZIA INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Cimzia. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Cimzia. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Cimzia treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Cimzia and health-related interactions

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Cimzia. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Cimzia may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Cimzia include:

• Blood condition, such as low white blood cell count. Treatment with Cimzia can cause certain blood conditions, including a low white blood cell count (leukopenia). If you have an existing blood condition, taking Cimzia may worsen it. Talk with your doctor to learn more about whether Cimzia is safe for you to use.
• Cancer, particularly lymphoma. Treatment with Cimzia may raise your risk of developing certain types of cancer, including certain forms of lymphoma. Cimzia has a boxed warning about this risk. To learn more, see the “Boxed warnings” section at the beginning of this article.
• Diabetes. Having diabetes can weaken your immune system and raise your risk for infection. Cimzia has a boxed warning about the risk of serious infection. Having diabetes can further raise your risk for serious infections if you use Cimzia. To learn more, see the “Boxed warnings” section at the beginning of this article.
• Heart failure. Cimzia can cause new or worsening heart failure as a side effect. If you have heart failure, talk with your doctor about whether treatment with Cimzia is safe for you. If your doctor prescribes Cimzia, they’ll likely want to closely monitor your heart failure symptoms throughout treatment.
• Hepatitis B. If you have hepatitis B, using Cimzia could worsen your condition. This includes if you’ve previously been exposed to the hepatitis B virus, but it currently isn’t causing symptoms. Treatment with Cimzia could reactivate hepatitis B, meaning it starts causing symptoms again. Hepatitis B reactivation can cause serious symptoms. Talk with your doctor to learn more about whether it’s safe for you to use Cimzia.
• Nervous system conditions, such as multiple sclerosis. Cimzia can cause nervous system problems, including multiple sclerosis, as a side effect. If you have an existing nervous system condition, using Cimzia may worsen it.
• HIV. HIV weakens your immune system and makes it harder for your body to fight infections. Cimzia has a boxed warning about the risk of serious infection. If you have HIV, you may be at higher risk for serious infection if you use Cimzia. To learn more, see the “Boxed warnings” section at the beginning of this article.
• Tuberculosis. Treatment with Cimzia can re-activate tuberculosis if you’ve previously been exposed. This means the infection begins causing symptoms again. To learn more, see the “Boxed warnings” section at the beginning of this article.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Cimzia or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Cimzia. This includes an allergy to rubber or latex, as the removable cap on Cimzia prefilled syringes is made using natural rubber latex. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
• Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Cimzia while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Cimzia may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Cimzia. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed your child.
• Pregnancy. There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Cimzia is safe to use while pregnant. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Cimzia. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.

FAQs about Cimzia and interactions

Here are some frequently asked questions about Cimzia and possible interactions.

Can you take ibuprofen while on Cimzia?

Maybe. Talk with your doctor before taking ibuprofen while on Cimzia. It’s not clear whether these medications interact.

In studies of Cimzia, high blood pressure was reported as a side effect. This side effect was more common in people who took Cimzia with certain medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). (Ibuprofen is an NSAID.) It’s not clear what role, if any, NSAIDs played in the higher risk for high blood pressure as a side effect in these studies.

Your doctor can provide more information on whether you can safely take ibuprofen while on Cimzia.

Is there an interaction between Cimzia and topical calcipotriene?

No, it’s not thought so. An interaction between Cimzia and topical calcipotriene hasn’t been reported.

Topical calcipotriene (Dovonox, Sorilux) is used to treat plaque psoriasis. It comes as a topical cream, ointment, foam, and solution that you apply directly to the skin. It’s not known to interact with Cimzia. Depending on your symptoms and the severity of your psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe Cimzia with a topical psoriasis treatment such as calcipotriene.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’d like to learn more about psoriasis treatments that may be combined with Cimzia.

Preventing interactions

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Cimzia. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Cimzia label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Cimzia doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Cimzia by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.