Ritalin (methylphenidate)

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

You should tell your doctor what medicines your child is already taking, before starting treatment with this medicine. This includes medicines bought without a prescription and herbal medicines. Likewise, once treatment has started you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any new medicines, to make sure the combination is safe.

If methylphenidate is taken within 14 days of taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant (MAOI, eg tranylcypramine, phenelzine, isocarboxazid) there may be a risk of a dangerous rise in blood pressure (hypertensive crisis). For this reason this medicine should not be taken by people who have taken an MAOI in the previous 14 days.

Check with your pharmacist before giving cough and cold remedies to children taking methylphenidate, as these types of medicines sometimes contain ingredients that may affect blood pressure, and could be unsuitable to use in combination with methylphenidate.

Methylphenidate may increase the blood levels of the following medicines:

medicines to prevent blood clots (anticoagulants) eg warfarin

antiepileptic medicines, eg phenytoin, primidone, phenobarbital

phenylbutazone

tricyclic antidepressants, eg imipramine

SSRI antidepressants, eg fluoxetine.

Children taking any of these medicines may need to have their doses reduced by the doctor.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

Concerta XL

Equasym

Medikinet

Methylphenidate tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.

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