Drug Interaction Report

Kava and Hydromorphone Injection: Interaction Details

Name: Kava and Hydromorphone Injection Interaction
Creator: Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

A pharmacist-reviewed analysis of the Kava and Hydromorphone Injection interaction: the documented clinical effects, severity rating, onset, mechanism, and management considerations, with cited references throughout.

AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature

Kava

No brand names on record

Hydromorphone Injection

Dilaudid Dilaudid-HP® Dilaudid®

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

Updated Aug 8, 2026

Editorial policy · Data sources

Interaction severity

Moderate

Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.

Minor

Moderate

Major

Contraindicated

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.

Of 29 documented Kava interactions, 28 are rated moderate — including this one.

Onset

unspecified

Evidence

theoretical

Severity

Moderate

What happens

Increased central nervous system depression

Interaction Deep Dive

Theoretically, kava may cause additive sedation when combined with any medication that may cause sedation, including opioid analgesics¹. Hypotension, profound sedation or coma may result when meperidine and kava are used concomitantly. Administration of reduced doses of meperidine is recommended ².

Why it happens (mechanism)

Additive central nervous system depression

Common questions

Can I take Kava and Hydromorphone Injection together?

Increased central nervous system depression Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.

How serious is the Kava and Hydromorphone Injection interaction?

It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with 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 Kava or Hydromorphone Injection 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 anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?

References (2)

Brinker FBrinker F: Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions, 2nd. Eclectic Medical Publications, Sandy, OR, 1998.
Product Information: Demerol(R), meperidine hydrochloride. Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. New York, NY, 2002. DailyMed

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Kava

Keep reading about Kava

All Kava interactions (29)

Also serious with: Linezolid Injection

Hydromorphone Injection

Keep reading about Hydromorphone Injection

All Hydromorphone Injection interactions (344) Hydromorphone Injection drug information

Also serious with: Isocarboxazid Naltrexone Phenelzine Safinamide

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HelloPharmacist doesn't license one of the big commercial interaction databases, so what you'll find here is not a complete list of every known drug interaction. Instead, each entry is researched, analyzed, and written up individually — documented from the published literature, reviewed by a pharmacist, and cited so you can check every source yourself.

If a combination isn't listed here, it means we haven't documented it yet — never that it's safe. For screening a full medication list, we recommend pairing this site with a comprehensive tool like the Drugs.com Interaction Checker and, most importantly, a review by your own pharmacist. For a deep, plain-English, fully sourced explanation of a specific documented interaction — that's exactly what we built this for.

This information is for education, not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change any medication without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.