Lynparza (olaparib) is a prescription drug that’s used to treat certain cancers. This drug can interact with other medications and some supplements. For example, Lynparza can interact with ketoconazole and carbamazepine.
Lynparza is used in adults to treat certain kinds of:
Lynparza comes as an oral tablet. It contains the active ingredient olaparib. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.)
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions.
Keep reading to learn about Lynparza’s possible interactions. And for more information about Lynparza, including details about its uses, see this article.
Before you start taking Lynparza, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Lynparza interacts with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, see the “Are there other interactions with Lynparza?” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The table below lists drugs that may interact with Lynparza. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Lynparza. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.
Lynparza is not known to interact with alcohol. But Lynparza and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as fatigue (low energy) and diarrhea. So you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol during your Lynparza treatment.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol during Lynparza treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Lynparza.
Interaction with certain prostate cancer drugs
Lynparza can interact with certain medications used to treat prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer drugs that interact with Lynparza include:
What could happen
Taking Lynparza with apalutamide or enzalutamide can lower the amount of Lynparza in your system. This can make Lynparza less effective at treating your cancer.
What you can do
Due to this interaction, your doctor will likely avoid prescribing Lynparza with either enzalutamide or apalutamide. Instead, they’ll likely prescribe Lynparza alone or with other cancer drugs that don’t interact with Lynparza.
Interaction with certain other cancer drugs
Lynparza can interact with some other medications used to treat cancer.
Examples of these drugs include:
What could happen
Lynparza and certain other cancer drugs can cause similar side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue (low energy). Taking these drugs together can raise your risk of these side effects. It could also make side effects that you experience more severe.
Lynparza and certain other cancer drugs can cause similar side effects, including bone marrow suppression. (With this condition, your body doesn’t make enough blood cells to function as usual.)
Bone marrow suppression can lead to anemia or increase your risk of infection or bleeding. In some cases, this side effect may be life threatening.
Taking Lynparza with these other cancer drugs can raise your risk of bone marrow suppression. It could also make this side effect more severe.
What you can do
If your doctor prescribes Lynparza with other cancer drugs that cause bone marrow suppression, they’ll monitor you closely during treatment. Depending on your side effects and how severe they are, your doctor may lower your Lynparza dosage or change your treatment plan. This could include stopping treatment with Lynparza or the other cancer drug.
Interaction with certain heart medications
Lynparza can interact with certain heart medications. These may be prescribed for conditions such as abnormal heart rhythm or high blood pressure.
Examples of heart medications that interact with Lynparza include:
What could happen
Taking Lynparza with certain heart medications can increase the amount of Lynparza in your body. This can raise your risk of side effects from Lynparza.
What you can do
Your doctor will likely try to avoid prescribing Lynparza with the heart drugs listed above. But if there aren’t alternative treatments and you’re prescribed Lynparza with one of these drugs, your doctor will likely prescribe a lower Lynparza dosage for you.
Lynparza may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Lynparza.
Does Lynparza interact with supplements?
Before you start taking Lynparza, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Lynparza interactions with herbs
Lynparza can interact with St. John’s wort, an herbal supplement used to ease symptoms of depression and other conditions.
Taking Lynparza with St. John’s wort can lower the amount of Lynparza in your system. This may make the drug less effective.
If you use St. John’s wort, talk with your doctor before starting Lynparza treatment.
Lynparza interactions with vitamins
There are currently no reports of Lynparza interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.
For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Lynparza.
Does Lynparza interact with food?
Lynparza can interact with grapefruit, Seville oranges, and the juice from these fruits.
Consuming grapefruit or Seville orange products with Lynparza can increase the amount of Lynparza in your body, which raises your risk of side effects from the drug.
For this reason, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before consuming these foods and juices while taking Lynparza.
Does Lynparza interact with vaccines?
There are currently no reports of Lynparza interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting certain vaccines during your Lynparza treatment, talk with your doctor.
Does Lynparza interact with lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Lynparza interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during your treatment with Lynparza, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does Lynparza interact with cannabis or CBD?
There are currently no reports of Lynparza interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Lynparza.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Lynparza. Before taking Lynparza, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Lynparza is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Lynparza include:
Breathing or lung problem. In rare cases, Lynparza can cause serious side effects that affect your lungs, including pneumonitis (inflammation in your lungs). If you have a breathing problem such as asthma, taking Lynparza could worsen your condition. You may also have a higher risk of lung-related side effects.
Kidney condition. Your kidneys are responsible for removing Lynparza from your body. Depending on how severe your kidney problems are, your doctor may prescribe a lower Lynparza dosage for you. Or they may recommend a different treatment for your cancer instead of Lynparza.
Blood clot problems. Taking Lynparza can increase your risk of developing blood clots in your veins, which may travel to your lungs. This side effect can be serious or life threatening. If you already have these types of blood clot problems, Lynparza may worsen them. Your doctor will likely monitor you for signs of blood clots in your veins or lungs during your Lynparza treatment. If necessary, they may prescribe blood thinners to treat blood clots.
Pregnancy. It’s not known whether Lynparza is safe to take during pregnancy. But based on how the drug works, your doctor will likely recommend that you do not take this drug during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Lynparza.
If you can become pregnant, your doctor will order a pregnancy test to ensure you’re not pregnant before prescribing Lynparza for you. Your doctor will also likely recommend that you use birth control during your Lynparza treatment and for at least 6 months after your last dose.
Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Lynparza while breastfeeding. But due to the risk of serious side effects, your doctor will likely recommend that you do not breastfeed while taking the drug. You should wait at least 1 month after your last dose of Lynparza to start breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Lynparza or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Lynparza. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Lynparza. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- Whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
- Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
- What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Lynparza treatment.
It’s also important to understand Lynparza’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Lynparza, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)
If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Taking Lynparza exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
If you still have questions about Lynparza and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:
- Do other drugs that could treat my condition have similar interactions to Lynparza?
- Is my risk of interactions with Lynparza higher based on my health history?
- Could I still take Lynparza even if it interacts with a medication I take?
- If I take Lynparza and have certain health conditions, will I be monitored more closely during treatment?
To learn more about Lynparza, see these articles:
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Disclaimer: 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.
Article source and credits to https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/lynparza-interactions
