Lynparza Safety Guide: What You Should Know About Drug Interactions

Does Lynparza interact with other drugs?

Before you start taking Lynparza, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

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

The table below lists drugs that may interact with Lynparza. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Lynparza. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.

Does Lynparza interact with alcohol?

Lynparza is not known to interact with alcohol. But Lynparza and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as fatigue (low energy) and diarrhea. So you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink alcohol during your Lynparza treatment.

If you have questions about consuming alcohol during Lynparza treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions explained

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Lynparza.

Interaction with certain prostate cancer drugs

Lynparza can interact with certain medications used to treat prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer drugs that interact with Lynparza include:

• apalutamide (Erleada)
• enzalutamide (Xtandi)

What could happen

Taking Lynparza with apalutamide or enzalutamide can lower the amount of Lynparza in your system. This can make Lynparza less effective at treating your cancer.

What you can do

Due to this interaction, your doctor will likely avoid prescribing Lynparza with either enzalutamide or apalutamide. Instead, they’ll likely prescribe Lynparza alone or with other cancer drugs that don’t interact with Lynparza.

Interaction with certain other cancer drugs

Lynparza can interact with some other medications used to treat cancer.

Examples of these drugs include:

• cisplatin
• docetaxel (Taxotere)
• capecitabine (Xeloda)
• cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
• doxorubicin

What could happen

Lynparza and certain other cancer drugs can cause similar side effects, such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue (low energy). Taking these drugs together can raise your risk of these side effects. It could also make side effects that you experience more severe.

Lynparza and certain other cancer drugs can cause similar side effects, including bone marrow suppression. (With this condition, your body doesn’t make enough blood cells to function as usual.)

Bone marrow suppression can lead to anemia or increase your risk of infection or bleeding. In some cases, this side effect may be life threatening.

Taking Lynparza with these other cancer drugs can raise your risk of bone marrow suppression. It could also make this side effect more severe.

What you can do

If your doctor prescribes Lynparza with other cancer drugs that cause bone marrow suppression, they’ll monitor you closely during treatment. Depending on your side effects and how severe they are, your doctor may lower your Lynparza dosage or change your treatment plan. This could include stopping treatment with Lynparza or the other cancer drug.

Interaction with certain heart medications

Lynparza can interact with certain heart medications. These may be prescribed for conditions such as abnormal heart rhythm or high blood pressure.

Examples of heart medications that interact with Lynparza include:

• amiodarone (Pacerone)
• diltiazem (Cardizem CD, others)
• verapamil (Verelan, others)

What could happen

Taking Lynparza with certain heart medications can increase the amount of Lynparza in your body. This can raise your risk of side effects from Lynparza.

What you can do

Your doctor will likely try to avoid prescribing Lynparza with the heart drugs listed above. But if there aren’t alternative treatments and you’re prescribed Lynparza with one of these drugs, your doctor will likely prescribe a lower Lynparza dosage for you.

Are there other interactions with Lynparza?

Lynparza may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Lynparza.

Frequently asked questions about Lynparza interactions

Does my health history affect whether I should take Lynparza?

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Lynparza. Before taking Lynparza, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Lynparza is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Lynparza include:

Breathing or lung problem. In rare cases, Lynparza can cause serious side effects that affect your lungs, including pneumonitis (inflammation in your lungs). If you have a breathing problem such as asthma, taking Lynparza could worsen your condition. You may also have a higher risk of lung-related side effects.

Kidney condition. Your kidneys are responsible for removing Lynparza from your body. Depending on how severe your kidney problems are, your doctor may prescribe a lower Lynparza dosage for you. Or they may recommend a different treatment for your cancer instead of Lynparza.

Blood clot problems. Taking Lynparza can increase your risk of developing blood clots in your veins, which may travel to your lungs. This side effect can be serious or life threatening. If you already have these types of blood clot problems, Lynparza may worsen them. Your doctor will likely monitor you for signs of blood clots in your veins or lungs during your Lynparza treatment. If necessary, they may prescribe blood thinners to treat blood clots.

Pregnancy. It’s not known whether Lynparza is safe to take during pregnancy. But based on how the drug works, your doctor will likely recommend that you do not take this drug during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking Lynparza.

If you can become pregnant, your doctor will order a pregnancy test to ensure you’re not pregnant before prescribing Lynparza for you. Your doctor will also likely recommend that you use birth control during your Lynparza treatment and for at least 6 months after your last dose.

Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Lynparza while breastfeeding. But due to the risk of serious side effects, your doctor will likely recommend that you do not breastfeed while taking the drug. You should wait at least 1 month after your last dose of Lynparza to start breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Lynparza or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Lynparza. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Next steps: Talking with your doctor

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Lynparza. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• Whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
• What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Lynparza treatment.

It’s also important to understand Lynparza’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Lynparza, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)