Cilostazol and Abiraterone: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Cilostazol
Abiraterone
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
Increased cilostazol exposure
Interaction Deep Dive
Coadministration of cilostazol (CYP3A4 substrate) and CYP2C19 inhibitors that are strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors may increase cilostazol exposure. Coadministration with the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole increased the AUC and Cmax of cilostazol by 117% and 94%, respectively. When coadministration of cilostazol with a CYP2C19 inhibitor or a strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor is required, consider reducing the cilostazol dose to 50 mg twice daily1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Inhibition of CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of cilostazol; inhibition of CYP2C19-mediated metabolism of cilostazol
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Coadministration of ketoconazole 400 mg and cilostazol 100 mg increased AUC 117% and Cmax 94% 1.
Common questions
Can I take Cilostazol and Abiraterone together?
Increased cilostazol exposure Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Cilostazol and Abiraterone 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.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Cilostazol or Abiraterone 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 (1)
- Product Information: PLETAL(R) oral tablets, cilostazol oral tablets. Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (per FDA), Rockville, MD, 2015. DailyMed
Keep reading about Cilostazol
Keep reading about Abiraterone
These medications also interact with supplements
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.
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