Asenapine Transdermal Patch and Sufentanil: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Jul 11, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Sufentanil
Asenapine Transdermal Patch
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, increased risk for hypotension, profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death
Interaction Deep Dive
Concomitant use of SUFentanil injection with CNS depressants may result in decreased pulmonary artery pressure and may cause hypotension. Even small dosages of diazePAM may cause cardiovascular depression when added to high dose or anesthetic dosages of SUFentanil injection1. When using SUFentanil for postoperative analgesia, concomitant use with other CNS depressants can increase the risk of hypotension, respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescription of SUFentanil and benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. If the decision is made to manage postoperative pain with SUFentanil concomitantly with a benzodiazepine or other CNS depressant, start with a lower dose of SUFentanil and titrate based on clinical response. Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression, sedation, and hypotension 12. Keep fluids and other measures readily available to treat potential hypotension 1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Additive CNS depression
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Observational studies have demonstrated that concomitant use of opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines increases the risk of drug-related mortality compared to use of opioid analgesics alone. Because of similar pharmacological properties, it is expected to cause similar risk with the concomitant use of other CNS depressant drugs with opioid analgesics 1.
Common questions
Can I take Asenapine Transdermal Patch and Sufentanil together?
Reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, increased risk for hypotension, profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Asenapine Transdermal Patch and Sufentanil interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Asenapine Transdermal Patch or Sufentanil need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (2)
- Product Information: Sufentanil citrate injection, sufentanil citrate r intravenous and epidural injection. Akron Inc (per FDA), Lake Forest, IL, 2023. DailyMed
- Product Information: DSUVIA(TM) sublingual tablets, sufentanil sublingual tablets. AcelRx Pharmaceuticals Inc (per FDA), Hayward, CA, 2023. DailyMed
Keep reading about Sufentanil
Keep reading about Asenapine Transdermal Patch
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Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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