Drug interactions of psychotropic drugs

Abstract For the appropriate use of psychotropic drugs, such as hypnotics, antidepressants and antipsychotics, knowledge of the pharmacokinetic characteristics and the interactions of these drugs are required. The mechanisms of drug interaction can be subdivided into pharmacokinetic interactions and pharmacodynamic interactions. Among the former, interactions involving inhibition or induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are clinically very important. If such interactions cause an increase of systemic exposure to psychotropic drugs, adverse effects are likely, while a decrease exposure may lead to treatment failure. In this article, we review drug interactions of psychotropic drugs from the viewpoints of clinical evidence, mechanism, and management.