Bentazepam and Acetaminophen And Codeine: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 1, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Acetaminophen And Codeine
Bentazepam
No brand names on record
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.
Your two medicines are both brain-calming drugs. One combines acetaminophen (a pain reliever) with codeine (an opioid pain medicine), and the other, bentazepam, is a benzodiazepine used for anxiety and to relax. When taken together, their calming effects can add up.
That can lead to very deep sleepiness, slowed breathing, low blood pressure, and in serious cases, worse. This warning is based on how these drugs work rather than a lot of hard data, but it is taken seriously. The good news is your care team can manage this safely with the right dose and by keeping an eye on you. Please don't stop or change either medicine on your own; just talk with your pharmacist or doctor.
Mechanism: Additive CNS and respiratory depression from combining an opioid (codeine) with a benzodiazepine (bentazepam). Neither is a prodrug concern that reverses direction here; both are direct CNS depressants, so effects are compounded.
- Direction: Increased sedation, respiratory depression, hypotension; risk of coma/death.
- Onset: Unspecified.
- Evidence: Theoretical, but rated major and consistent with class labeling.
- Management: Reserve concomitant use for when alternatives are inadequate; use lowest effective doses and shortest duration; monitor closely for respiratory depression and sedation; consider prescribing naloxone.
What happens
An increased risk of hypotension, respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma, and death
Interaction Deep Dive
Concomitant use of codeine with benzodiazepines can increase the risk of hypotension, respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required. Follow patients closely for signs of respiratory depression and sedation. If concomitant use is warranted, consider prescribing naloxone for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose134.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Additive CNS depression
How to manage this interaction
If your care team has prescribed both, they can manage this combination safely.
- Keep taking both as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise.
- Your team will typically use the lowest effective doses for the shortest time needed, and may reserve this combination for when other options aren't enough.
- They may monitor you more closely for signs of heavy sedation or slowed breathing.
- They may also consider prescribing naloxone as an emergency backup.
Call your doctor or 911 right away if you notice severe drowsiness, confusion, very slow or shallow breathing, or trouble waking up. Ask your pharmacist before adding alcohol or any other sedating medicine.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Literature reports
4 reports — tap to read
a) In one study, the rate of emergency department visits related to nonmedical use that took place between 2004 and 2011 and involved opioid analgesics along with benzodiazepines rose significantly from 11 to 34.2 per 100,000. Deaths from drug overdose attributable to prescribed as well as greater than prescribed doses of both classes of drugs likewise rose significantly from 0.6 to 1.7 per 100,000, and overdose deaths attributable to benzodiazepines rose significantly from 18% to 31% 2.
b) In a prospective cohort study, the rate of overdose deaths associated with the dispensing of both opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines was 10 times greater than with the dispensing of opioid analgesics by themselves (7 vs 0.7 per 10,000 person years) 2.
c) In a cohort study using data spanning 2004 to 2009, the risk of fatal overdose rose significantly by 2.33 fold among patients using opioid analgesics who had a prior benzodiazepine prescription and rose by 3.86 fold among those with a current benzodiazepine prescription, when compared with those using opioid analgesics who had no history of a benzodiazepine prescription. The risk of drug overdose deaths grew as daily benzodiazepine doses increased 2.
d) Observational studies have shown that using opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines together raises the risk of drug-related mortality compared with using opioid analgesics alone. Owing to comparable pharmacological properties, it is reasonable to anticipate a similar risk when other CNS depressant drugs are used concomitantly with opioid analgesics 34.
Common questions
Can I take Bentazepam and Acetaminophen And Codeine together?
Taking codeine and bentazepam together adds up their sedating effects and can dangerously slow breathing, so use both only as prescribed, at the lowest doses, and watch for heavy drowsiness or slowed breathing. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Bentazepam and Acetaminophen And Codeine 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 is the Bentazepam and Acetaminophen And Codeine interaction managed?
If your care team has prescribed both, they can manage this combination safely. Keep taking both as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise. Your team will typically use the lowest effective doses for the shortest time needed, and may reserve this combination for when other options aren't enough. They may monitor you more closely for signs of heavy sedation or slowed breathing. They… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
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 Bentazepam or Acetaminophen And Codeine 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 (4)
- Product Information: CARISOPRODOL, ASPIRIN, CODEINE PHOSPHATE oral tablets, carisoprodol, aspirin, codeine phosphate oral tablets. Ingenus Pharmaceuticals LLC (per DailyMed), Orlando, FL, 2021. DailyMed
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Drug Safety Communications: FDA warns about serious risks and death when combining opioid pain or cough medicines with benzodiazepines; requires its strongest warning. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Silver Spring, MD. 2016.
- Product Information: Codeine sulfate oral solution, codeine sulfate oral solution. Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc(per FDA), Berkeley Heights, NJ, 2023. DailyMed
- Product Information: Codeine sulfate oral tablets, codeine sulfate oral tablets. Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. (per FDA), Berkeley Heights, NJ, 2023. DailyMed
Keep reading about Acetaminophen And Codeine
Keep reading about Bentazepam
Check another combination
Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.
Still have questions about this combination?
Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.
Ask the pharmacist