Article: Interactions with Rx allergy drug pose life-threatening risk. (reactions between Hismanal and other drugs and grapefruit juice)(Brief Article)

Patients who take the prescription antihistamine Hismanal (astemizole) in a higher-than-recornmended dose, with certain other drugs, or with grapefruit juice, run the risk of potentially life-threatening reactions.

Grapefruit juice and certain drugs, if taken with Hismanal, can affect the way the body handles the drug and potentially lead to dangerous allergic reactions or heart problems.

The drugs that should not be taken with Hismanal, according to an FDA warning, include:

* the hypertension drug Posicor (mibefrodil dihydrochloride)

* the antibiotics Biaxin (clarithromycin) and TAO (troleandomycin)

* HIV protease ...

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