PEBC: What You Need to Know: Muscle Relaxants

PEBC What You Need to Know
Written By Alan Wong

Examples: baclofen, tizanidine, cyclobenzaprine. methocarbamol

Uses: muscle spasms, lower back pain

Dosing: multiple times daily (TID-QID)

Adverse Effects:

-drowsiness and sedation (no alcohol)

-confusion

-dry mouth

-liver toxicity with tizanidine

-hypotension and bradycardia (tizanidine)

Drug Interactions:

-tizanidine and cyclobenzaprine are CYP 1A2 substrates, which may interact with inhibitors such as ciprofloxacin or fluvoxamine

-other CNS depressants and alcohol - may increase sedation

-serotonin syndrome possible when combining SSRIs and cyclobenzaprine; contraindicated with MAO inhibitors taken in the past 14 days

Alan Wong
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