methylprednisolone vs theophylline
Side-by-side comparison of methylprednisolone and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
albuterol, systemic and inhaled mebendazole amoxicillin medroxyprogesterone ampicillin, with or without sulbactam methylprednisolone atenolol metronidazole azithromycin metoprolol caffeine, dietary ingestion nadolol cefaclor nifedipine co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) nizatidine diltiazem norfloxacin dirithromycin ofloxacin enflurane omeprazole famotidine prednisone, prednisolone felodipine ranitidine finasteride rifabutin hydrocortisone roxithromycin isoflurane Sorbitol (purgative doses do not inhibit theophylline absorption) isoniazid sucralfate isradipine terbutaline,...
Recommendation: Your doctor may need to adjust your theophylline dose when you start or stop taking this steroid. Make sure to attend all scheduled blood tests to check your medicine levels.
Medrol
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Methylprednisolone (Medrol) is a corticosteroid medicine. It reduces inflammation and affects the immune system.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
This medicine can treat many conditions. It can help with allergies, skin problems, and hormone imbalances. It can also help with gut and blood disorders.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Methylprednisolone reduces inflammation in the body. It also changes how your immune system works. This can help control symptoms of different diseases.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
No common side effects listed.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Feeling very tired 7,792
- Aching or soreness 7,273
- Feeling sick to your stomach 7,212
- Pain in your head 7,058
- Fever 6,883
- Difficulty breathing 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,317
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
This medicine is not for injection into the spine. This can cause serious medical problems. Do not take this medicine if you have a fungal infection, unless it's a localized joint condition.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This methylprednisolone vs theophylline Comparison
methylprednisolone is classified in the Corticosteroid drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator 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, methylprednisolone has 36,218 submissions while theophylline has 7,939. 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 major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to methylprednisolone can change the speed at which your body gets rid of theophylline. this can make the theophylline level in your blood unpredictable.. 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 methylprednisolone and theophylline - 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.