Qulipta interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Introduction

Qulipta (atogepant) is a brand-name prescription drug used to treat episodic migraine. As with other medications, Qulipta can interact with certain other drugs. It can also interact with some supplements and foods. An interaction occurs when one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected.

For details about Qulipta’s interactions, keep reading. For additional information about Qulipta, including details about its uses, see this article.

Qulipta and alcohol

There aren’t any known interactions between Qulipta and alcohol. However, it’s possible for both Qulipta and alcohol to cause nausea or sleepiness. And drinking alcohol while taking Qulipta may increase the risk of these side effects even more.

Also, it’s possible for alcohol to be a migraine trigger. So, your doctor may recommend avoiding alcohol for this reason.

If you’re taking Qulipta and you have questions about drinking alcohol during treatment, talk with your doctor.

Qulipta interactions with other medications

Before you start treatment with Qulipta, 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 Qulipta interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Qulipta 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 Qulipta. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Qulipta. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

* For details about Qulipta’s side effects, see this article.

Drug interactions in depth

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

Certain antibiotic drugs

Tell your doctor about any antibiotic drugs that you take before starting Qulipta treatment. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, such as strep throat or skin infection.

Interaction result. Taking certain antibiotics with Qulipta can increase the amount of Qulipta that you’re exposed to.

Interaction explained. Qulipta is broken down in your body by an enzyme (a type of protein) called CYP3A4. Some antibiotics can block this enzyme from working. So taking these antibiotics with Qulipta may cause you to be exposed to more Qulipta than usual. If you have more Qulipta in your body, you may have an increased risk of side effects from this medication. (For details about Qulipta’s side effects, see this article.)

Examples of antibiotic drugs. Here are some antibiotics that may interact with Qulipta:

• clarithromycin
• chloramphenicol
• erythromycin (Eryc)

Steps you or your doctor may take. If you need to take Qulipta with an antibiotic that may interact with Qulipta, your doctor may recommend changing your dosage.* Specifically, they may recommend taking a lower dose of Qulipta or the lowest dose possible. This can help make sure that you’re not exposed to more drug than usual.

Your doctor can help determine which antibiotics are safe to take with Qulipta.

Seizure medications

If you’ve ever had seizures or have a seizure disorder, tell your doctor before taking Qulipta. This medication may interact with certain seizure medications.

Interaction result. Some seizure medications may decrease the amount of Qulipta that your body absorbs.

Interaction explained. Qulipta is broken down in your body by an enzyme called CYP3A4. Some seizure medications may cause this enzyme to work faster than usual. This causes your body to get rid of Qulipta too quickly. So, the drug may be less effective in treating your condition.

Examples of seizure drugs. Here are some seizure drugs that may interact with Qulipta:

• phenytoin (Dilantin)
• carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• cenobamate (Xcopri)

Steps you or your doctor may take. If you’re taking a seizure medication that interacts with Qulipta, your doctor may recommend a higher dose of Qulipta.* This is to help make sure you’re getting enough medication so that the drug can be effective for your condition.

If you have questions about taking seizure medications with Qulipta, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Dexamethasone (Hemady)

It’s possible for Qulipta to interact with dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that can be used to treat inflammation, including asthma or allergic reaction.

Interaction result. Taking dexamethasone with Qulipta can reduce the effectiveness of Qulipta.

Interaction explained. Qulipta gets broken down in your body by an enzyme called CYP3A4. It’s possible for dexamethasone to cause this enzyme to work faster than usual. This causes your body to get rid of Qulipta too quickly. So, the drug may be less effective in treating your condition.

Steps you or your doctor may take. If you’re taking dexamethasone with Qulipta, your doctor may recommend a higher dose of Qulipta.* This can help make sure that the drug is working effectively.

If you have questions about taking dexamethasone with Qulipta, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* For details about Qulipta’s dosage, see this article.

Qulipta and other interactions

Qulipta 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 Qulipta.

Qulipta interactions with supplements

Before you start treatment with Qulipta, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

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

Qulipta interactions with herbs

Qulipta may interact with an herb called St. John’s wort. This is a supplement that some people take to help manage depression. Specifically, St. John’s wort can decrease the effectiveness of Qulipta in treating your condition. Due to this risk, your doctor may recommend that you avoid using St. John’s wort while taking Qulipta.

If you have questions about taking St. John’s wort or other herbs with Qulipta, talk with your doctor.

Qulipta interactions with vitamins

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

Qulipta interactions with food

Qulipta can interact with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Specifically, grapefruit and grapefruit juice can block the breakdown of Qulipta. This can cause the drug to build up in your body.

If you have too much Qulipta in your body, you may have an increased risk of side effects occurring.* Due to this, your doctor will likely recommend avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking Qulipta.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about consuming grapefruit or other foods during Qulipta treatment.

* For details about Qulipta’s side effects, see this article.

Qulipta and vaccines

There aren’t any known interactions between Qulipta and vaccines. To make sure that you’re up-to-date on your vaccines, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Qulipta and lab tests

Qulipta isn’t known to interact with any lab tests. If you need to have a lab test done and you’re concerned about your medications interacting, talk with your doctor.

QULIPTA INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

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

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

Qulipta and health-related interactions

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Qulipta. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Qulipta 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 Qulipta include:

• Kidney problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any kidney problems before starting Qulipta treatment. Your kidneys help remove Qulipta from your body. If they aren’t working correctly, it’s possible to be exposed to more Qulipta than usual. This can increase the risk of side effects* occurring. So, your doctor may recommend taking a lower dose† of Qulipta if you have kidney problems.
• Liver problems. Before starting Qulipta, tell your doctor about any liver problems that you have. This medication is broken down in your body by your liver. So if your liver isn’t working well, Qulipta can build up in your body. This can increase the risk of side effects* occurring. In this case, your doctor can help determine if Qulipta is safe for you.
• Pregnancy. It’s not known if it’s safe to take Qulipta during pregnancy. At this time, there’s not enough information available in pregnant people to determine if the drug is safe. Animal studies show that Qulipta may increase the risk of congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects). However, animal studies don’t always indicate what may happen in humans. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking Qulipta.
• Breastfeeding. It’s unknown if it’s safe to take Qulipta while breastfeeding. Currently, it isn’t known if the drug passes into breast milk or what effects it may have on a breastfed child. In animal studies, the drug passed into breast milk. However, animal studies don’t always suggest what may happen in humans. If you’re interested in breastfeeding, talk with your doctor to see if Qulipta may be safe for you.
• Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Qulipta or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Qulipta. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

* For information about Qulipta’s side effects, see this article.
† For details about Qulipta’s dosage, see this article.

Preventing interactions

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Qulipta. 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 Qulipta 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 Qulipta 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 Qulipta by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Other resources

Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Qulipta. These resources might help:

• Overview of Qulipta. For a general overview of Qulipta, you can see this article.
• Side effects. If you’re interested in the side effects of Qulipta, see this article. Another option is to refer to the Qulipta prescribing information.
• Dosage specifics. To learn about the dosage of Qulipta, see this article.
• Cost. For information about Qulipta and cost, see this article.
• Facts about migraine. To learn more about migraine, see our headache and migraine hub.

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.