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meperidine vs tranylcypromine

Side-by-side comparison of meperidine and tranylcypromine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Product Clinical Comment on Concomitant Use [See Contraindications (4.1)] ; Predominant Effect/Risk [Hypertensive Reaction (HR) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] ; or Serotonin Syndrome (SS) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] ] Altretamine Use with caution If not otherwise specified in this table, consider avoiding concomitant use (see also information on medication-free intervals , use agent at the lowest appropriate dose, monitor for effects of the interaction, advise the patient to report potential effects, and be prepared to discontinue the agent and treat effects of the...

Recommendation: Avoid this combination entirely. If it is used, your healthcare provider must monitor you for signs of a reaction and be ready to stop the medicine.

Drug Class
meperidine Opioid Analgesic
tranylcypromine Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI)
Type
meperidine Prescription
tranylcypromine Prescription
Summary
meperidine

Meperidine is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe, acute pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine (Parnate) is a medicine used to treat major depression in adults. It is used when other antidepressants have not worked well enough.

What It Treats
meperidine

Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine. It is for use when other treatments do not work well enough. Meperidine should not be used for chronic, long-lasting pain. Taking meperidine for a long time may increase the risk of seizures.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. You should only use it if other antidepressants haven't helped. It is not for the first treatment of depression because it can cause serious side effects and has many drug and food interactions.

How It Works
meperidine

Meperidine is an opioid agonist. It works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This reduces the feeling of pain.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine belongs to a class of drugs called MAO inhibitors. It works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in your brain. These chemicals can help improve your mood.

Common Side Effects
meperidine
  • Lightheadedness
  • Dizziness
  • Sleepiness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
tranylcypromine
  • Dry mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Headache
FAERS Reports
meperidine
  • Allergic reaction to the drug 3,248
  • Pain 1,250
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,133
  • Excessive sweating 821
  • Skin rash 775
tranylcypromine
  • Interaction between medicines 68
  • Feeling sad or hopeless 36
  • Too much serotonin in the body 27
  • Head pain 24
  • High blood pressure 24
Serious Warnings
meperidine

Meperidine has a boxed warning. This means it has serious risks. These risks include: Medication errors that can cause overdose, addiction, abuse, and misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, accidental ingestion (especially by children) can cause a fatal overdose, dangerous effects when taken with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Make sure you read the Medication Guide.

tranylcypromine

Tranylcypromine can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. It can also cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure if you eat foods high in tyramine or take certain medicines. Make sure to follow all food and drug restrictions.

Pregnancy
meperidine

Taking meperidine for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Meperidine is not recommended during or right before labor because it can cause breathing problems in the baby.

tranylcypromine

There is limited information about the safety of tranylcypromine during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking this medicine because it can harm the baby.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This meperidine vs tranylcypromine Comparison

meperidine is classified in the Opioid Analgesic drug class, while tranylcypromine sits within the Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, meperidine has 7,227 submissions while tranylcypromine has 179. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to this combination can cause a life-threatening reaction involving very high blood pressure or too much serotonin in the brain. the drugs prevent your body from properly breaking down these powerful chemicals.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between meperidine and tranylcypromine - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.