Drugs to treat thyroid disorders can interact with other drugs. Interactions with thyreomimetics (levothyroxine and liothyronine) can be divided into interactions with drugs that affect the bioavailability of the thyreomimetics, drugs that accelerate the breakdown of thyreomimetics or drugs that alter the dose requirement for thyroid hormones.
Finally, the effect of drugs may be influenced by a change in thyroid function. By knowing the pharmacological background of the interactions, these interactions can be handled or avoided in practice.
Ge-Bu Location
What is the Ge-Bu’s position?
• The gastrointestinal absorption of thyreomimetics (levothyroxine and liothyronine) can be reduced by several drugs. The effect of such interactions can often be minimized by taking the drugs separately from each other.
• The breakdown of thyreomimetics may be increased by enzyme inducers which will often require a higher dose of levothyroxine or liothyronine.
• Oral oestrogens may alter the need for antithyroid drugs by affecting the concentration of thyroxine-binding globulin.
• Both antithyroid drugs and antithyroid drugs interact with vitamin K antagonists, whereby both starting and discontinuation of thyroid drugs must be reported to the thrombosis service.
• For almost all interactions, the effect must be monitored by determining thyroid values 6 weeks after the start of the combination or dose change and to a lesser extent on the basis of the clinical picture.
Read the full article
–