Erythromycin and Midazolam Interaction
Drug interaction information between Erythromycin and Midazolam.
Erythromycin and Midazolam have a documented moderate interaction in FDA labeling.
FDA drug labeling documents a moderate-severity interaction between Erythromycin and Midazolam. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.
How They Interact
Erythromycin stops your body from breaking down midazolam at a normal speed. This leads to higher levels of midazolam in your blood, which can increase its side effects.
FDA Label Information
Other Drug Interactions Caution is advised when midazolam is administered concomitantly with drugs that are known to inhibit the P450-3A4 enzyme system such as cimetidine (not ranitidine), erythromycin, diltiazem, verapamil, ketoconazole and itraconazole. In a placebo-controlled study, erythromycin administered as a 500 mg dose, tid, for 1 week (n=6), reduced the clearance of midazolam following a single 0.5 mg/kg IV dose. Caution is advised when midazolam is administered to patients receiving erythromycin since this may result in a decrease in the plasma clearance of midazolam.
Erythromycin Also Interacts With
- Eplerenone major
- Pitavastatin major
- Risperidone major
- Sildenafil major
- Lefamulin moderate
Midazolam Also Interacts With
- Darunavir major
- Itraconazole major
- Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir major
- Ketoconazole moderate
- Verapamil moderate
Frequently Asked Questions
What SPL severity band is on file for Erythromycin + Midazolam?
Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair moderate. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.
Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?
Erythromycin has 63 labeled pairs on file vs Midazolam's 39. In the moderate band specifically: Erythromycin has 6 (also Lefamulin, Lovastatin, Pravastatin, Rivaroxaban); Midazolam has 9 (also Ketoconazole, Verapamil, Ranitidine, Cimetidine).
What mechanism field is on file for Erythromycin and Midazolam?
Erythromycin stops your body from breaking down midazolam at a normal speed. This leads to higher levels of midazolam in your blood, which can increase its side effects.
Erythromycin carries more major-labeled pairs than Midazolam
SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is moderate · classes on file: Erythromycin (Macrolide Antibiotic); Midazolam (Benzodiazepine).
Erythromycin has 4 major-labeled pairs vs Midazolam's 3. This page itself is in the moderate band, not the major band.
4 major · 6 moderate · 53 minor · 63 total
- Other moderate peers for Erythromycin
- Lefamulin
- Lovastatin
- Pravastatin
- Rivaroxaban
3 major · 9 moderate · 27 minor · 39 total
- Other moderate peers for Midazolam
- Ketoconazole
- Verapamil
- Ranitidine
- Cimetidine
Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.