Kevzara interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Before you start treatment with Kevzara, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Kevzara interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Kevzara and other interactions” section below.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Kevzara. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Kevzara. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Kevzara due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Kevzara include:

Having had an allergic reaction to Kevzara or any of its ingredients

If you have had an allergic reaction to Kevzara or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Kevzara. Using the medication could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Note: Before you start treatment with Kevzara, it’s important to tell your doctor if this contraindication applies to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Kevzara.

There aren’t any known interactions between Kevzara and alcohol. However, your doctor may advise you to avoid or limit alcohol consumption during Kevzara treatment.

This is because consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause liver damage. Kevzara may cause elevated liver enzymes, which could be a sign of liver damage. It’s possible that drinking alcohol during Kevzara treatment may increase the risk of liver problems.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol during Kevzara treatment, talk with your doctor.

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Kevzara.

Certain blood thinners

Blood thinners are prescribed to treat and help prevent blood clots.

Interaction result:Taking certain blood thinners with Kevzara could affect how well the blood thinner works.

Interaction explained:Kevzara is prescribed for certain conditions that cause inflammation. Inflammation may affect the activity of proteins that break down blood thinners in the body. As a result, starting or stopping Kevzara treatment may affect the level of certain blood thinners in your system. This could affect how well the blood thinner works for your condition.

Examples of blood thinner drugs: Here are some blood thinners that may interact with Kevzara:

• apixaban (Eliquis)
• rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
• warfarin (Jantoven)

Steps you or your doctor may take:Before starting Kevzara treatment, tell your doctor if you’re taking a blood thinner. They can recommend whether it’s safe for you to take these medications together.

If your doctor prescribes a blood thinner and Kevzara together, they’ll closely monitor how well the blood thinner is working for you.

To learn more about Kevzara and blood thinners, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Birth control pills

Birth control pills are prescribed to help prevent pregnancy.

Interaction result: Taking birth control pills with Kevzara could affect how well the birth control works.

Interaction explained: Inflammation may affect the activity of proteins that break down the active ingredients in birth control pills. Kevzara is used to treat conditions that cause inflammation. Starting or stopping Kevzara may affect the level of birth control in your system, which could affect how well the birth control pill works.

Examples of birth control pills: Here are some birth control pills that may interact with Kevzara:

• ethinyl estradiol/drospirenone (Yasmin, Yaz, others)
• ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone (Aurovela, Junel, others)
• ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (Sprintec, Tri-Sprintec, others)

Steps you or your doctor may take: Before starting Kevzara, be sure your doctor knows if you’re taking birth control pills. They may recommend other birth control options that are less likely to be affected by Kevzara.

If you take birth control pills with Kevzara, your doctor may suggest certain precautions. This may include using a backup method of birth control for several weeks after starting or stopping Kevzara. Examples of backup birth control methods include condoms and diaphragms.

To learn more about Kevzara and birth control pills, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Biologic DMARDs

Biologic DMARDs are prescribed to treat many conditions. This includes autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Interaction result: Using Kevzara with a biologic DMARD could increase the risk of infection from either drug.

Interaction explained: Kevzara and biologic DMARDs can lower the immune system’s ability to fight infection. Using either drug alone may increase your risk of infection. This risk may be further increased if these drugs are used together.

Keep in mind that Kevzara has a boxed warning about the risk of serious infection. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For more information, see “Boxed warning” at the beginning of this article.

Examples of biologic DMARDs: Here are some biologic DMARDs that may interact with Kevzara:

• abatacept (Orencia)
• rituximab (Rituxan)
• tocilizumab (Actemra)

Steps you or your doctor may take: Before starting Kevzara treatment, tell your doctor about other medications you’re prescribed. They can help you determine if you’re prescribed a biologic DMARD.

It’s unlikely that your doctor will prescribe Kevzara with a biologic DMARD. Since these drugs may treat similar conditions, your doctor can recommend the one that’s right for your condition.

To learn more about Kevzara and biologic DMARDs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Kevzara may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Kevzara.

Kevzara and supplements

It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Kevzara and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Kevzara. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Kevzara treatment.

Kevzara and vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Kevzara. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Kevzara.

Kevzara and food

There were no reports of food interactions with Kevzara. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Kevzara, talk with your doctor.

Kevzara interactions with vaccines

Kevzara may interact with live vaccines. A live vaccine contains weakened pieces of the bacterium or virus it’s meant to defend against. Live vaccines usually won’t cause infection when your immune system is healthy.

However, if you get a live vaccine during Kevzara treatment, your immune system may not be able to fight the bacterium or virus. This is because Kevzara may weaken your immune system. As a result, you may develop symptoms of the illness the vaccine is meant to defend against.

Examples of live vaccines to avoid during Kevzara treatment include:

• nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist)
• measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• yellow fever
• chickenpox

Before starting Kevzara, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any vaccines you may need. If you need a live vaccine, your doctor may give the vaccine before starting Kevzara treatment. Your doctor or pharmacist can also recommend whether it’s safe to receive other vaccines during Kevzara treatment.

Kevzara and lab tests

Kevzara isn’t known to interact with any lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

KEVZARA AND CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Kevzara. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Kevzara. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Kevzara treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Kevzara. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Kevzara may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Kevzara include:

• Intestine or stomach problems: Before using Kevzara, tell your doctor if you have any intestine or stomach problems. Examples include diverticulitis and stomach ulcers. Having these problems may increase the risk of a tear in the intestines or stomach as a side effect of Kevzara. Your doctor can recommend whether Kevzara is a safe treatment option. To learn more about Kevzara’s side effects, see this article.
• Liver problems: If you have a liver problem, such as liver failure, talk with your doctor before starting Kevzara. Treatment with Kevzara may cause elevated liver enzymes, which could be a sign of liver damage. This side effect could worsen your liver problem. Your doctor can tell you whether Kevzara is a safe treatment option.
• Cancer: Kevzara treatment may increase the risk of certain cancers. It’s not known whether the drug is safe for people who’ve ever had cancer. If you’ve had cancer in the past, your doctor can determine whether Kevzara is the right treatment option.
• Risk of serious infections: Certain factors may increase the risk of serious infections with Kevzara. The drug has a boxed warning about the risk of serious infections. This is a serious warning from the FDA. A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about the drug’s effects that may be dangerous. For details, see the boxed warning at the top of this article.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Kevzara or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Kevzara. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatment options that are more suitable for you.
• Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Kevzara while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Kevzara may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Kevzara. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed your child.
• Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Kevzara is safe to use while pregnant. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Kevzara. They can plan the right treatment option for you.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Kevzara. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Kevzara label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. The paperwork sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Kevzara doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Kevzara by using it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, 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.