Methyldopa Brand Name– Aldomet
What is Methyldopa
Methyldopa is an oral and parenteral antihypertensive agent. An analog of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), methyldopa originally was developed to inhibit DOPA carboxylase, an enzyme critical for the biosynthesis of catecholamines.
Methyldopa was later discovered to have antihypertensive activity, but its use as an antihypertensive agent has declined due to the development of other antihypertensive agents with a more favorable adverse side effect profile.
Methyldopa is the drug used most often in the treatment of chronic hypertension in pregnant women.
Methyldopa received FDA approval in December 1962.
Indications
- hypertension
- hypertensive emergency
- hypertensive urgency
Side Effects
- agranulocytosis
- amenorrhea
- angina
- arthralgia
- azotemia
- bradycardia
- choreoathetosis
- cirrhosis
- colitis
- constipation
- depression
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- edema
- ejaculation dysfunction
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- eosinophilia
- fever
- flatulence
- galactorrhea
- gynecomastia
- headache
- heart failure
- hemolysis
- hepatitis
- hyperkeratosis
- hyperprolactinemia
- hypotension
- impotence (erectile dysfunction)
- interstitial nephritis
- leukopenia
- libido decrease
- myalgia
- myocarditis
- nasal congestion
- nausea
- nightmares
- orgasm dysfunction
- pancreatitis
- paresthesias
- pericarditis
- psychosis
- rash
- sialadenitis
- thrombocytopenia
- toxic epidermal necrolysis
- urticaria
- vertigo
- vomiting
- weakness
- xerostomia
Monitoring Parameters
- blood pressure
- Coombs’ test
- heart rate
- hemoglobin/hematocrit
- LFTs
- red blood cell count (RBC)
- serum creatinine/BUN
Contraindications
- autoimmune disease
- breast-feeding
- cardiac disease
- cerebrovascular disease
- children
- depression
- dialysis
- geriatric
- hemolytic anemia
- hepatic disease
- hepatitis
- MAOI therapy
- mental status changes
- Parkinson’s disease
- pheochromocytoma
- pregnancy
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- sulfite hypersensitivity
Interactions
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine; Phenyltoloxamine
- Acetaminophen; Codeine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetaminophen; Dichloralphenazone; Isometheptene
- Acetaminophen; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Acetaminophen; Hydrocodone
- Acetaminophen; Oxycodone
- Acetaminophen; Propoxyphene
- Acetaminophen; Pseudoephedrine
- Acetazolamide
- Acrivastine; Pseudoephedrine
- Aldesleukin, IL-2
- Alemtuzumab
- Alfentanil
- Alprazolam
- Alprostadil
- Amifostine
- Amitriptyline; Chlordiazepoxide
- Amlodipine; Celecoxib
- Amoxapine
- Amphetamine; Dextroamphetamine Salts
- Amyl Nitrite
- Apomorphine
- Apraclonidine
- Aripiprazole
- Articaine; Epinephrine
- Asenapine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Caffeine; Dihydrocodeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Carisoprodol; Codeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Oxycodone
- Atropine; Difenoxin
- Atropine; Diphenoxylate
- Baclofen
- Belladonna; Opium
- Benzodiazepines
- Benzphetamine
- Bortezomib
- Bosentan
- Brexpiprazole
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- Brompheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Brompheniramine; Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone
- Brompheniramine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Brompheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Cabergoline
- Cannabidiol
- Carbetapentane; Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Diphenhydramine; Phenylephrine
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- Carbetapentane; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Phenylephrine; Pyrilamine
- Carbetapentane; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbidopa; Levodopa
- Carbidopa; Levodopa; Entacapone
- Carbinoxamine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Carbinoxamine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbinoxamine; Phenylephrine
- Carbinoxamine; Pseudoephedrine
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
- Cariprazine
- Celecoxib
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- Cetirizine
- Cetirizine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlophedianol; Dexchlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlophedianol; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Chlordiazepoxide
- Chlordiazepoxide; Clidinium
- Chloroprocaine
- Chlorpheniramine; Codeine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dihydrocodeine; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Dihydrocodeine; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Guaifenesin; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
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- Clozapine
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- Codeine
- Codeine; Guaifenesin
- Codeine; Phenylephrine; Promethazine
- Codeine; Promethazine
- COMT inhibitors
- Degarelix
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- Deutetrabenazine
- Dexchlorpheniramine; Dextromethorphan; Pseudoephedrine
- Dexmethylphenidate
- Dextromethorphan; Diphenhydramine; Phenylephrine
- Dextromethorphan; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Dextromethorphan; Guaifenesin; Pseudoephedrine
- Dextromethorphan; Promethazine
- Dextromethorphan; Quinidine
- Diazepam
- Diazoxide
- Diclofenac
- Diclofenac; Misoprostol
- Diethylpropion
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- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Diphenhydramine; Phenylephrine
- Dobutamine
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- Duloxetine
- Enflurane
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- Esketamine
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- Histrelin
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- Hydralazine; Isosorbide Dinitrate, ISDN
- Hydrocodone
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Hydrocodone; Phenylephrine
- Hydrocodone; Potassium Guaiacolsulfonate
- Hydrocodone; Potassium Guaiacolsulfonate; Pseudoephedrine
- Hydrocodone; Pseudoephedrine
- Hydromorphone
- Hyoscyamine; Methenamine; Methylene Blue; Phenyl Salicylate; Sodium Biphosphate
- Ibritumomab Tiuxetan
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
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- Iloperidone
- Iloprost
- Indomethacin
- Intravenous Lipid Emulsions
- Iron
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- Isocarboxazid
- Isoflurane
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- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
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- Phenylephrine
- Phenylephrine; Promethazine
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- Prazosin
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- Procainamide
- Procaine
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- Propofol
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- Rasagiline
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- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Trifluoperazine
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- Valdecoxib
- Vasopressin, ADH
- Vincristine Liposomal
- Yohimbine
- Ziprasidone
