Oxymetazoline

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: May 01, 2023

Warnings

Oxymetazoline (Rhofade) Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Oxymetazoline can cause new or worsening health problems in some people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other treatments for rosacea if you are at increased risk of complications from oxymetazoline use. Some of the risks of using oxymetazoline include:

BLOOD PRESSURE CHANGES: Oxymetazoline (Rhofade cream) can cause low or high blood pressure. Do not arise quickly from a sitting or lying position, as this can lead to a drop in blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension) and put you at risk of falls. Before starting oxymetazoline, tell your doctor if you have a history of heart disease, low blood pressure, or high blood pressure. Call your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of low blood pressure, such as dizziness, weakness, fast breathing, blurred vision, or confusion. Also, seek emergency medical care if you develop symptoms of dangerously high blood pressure, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, nosebleed, or confusion.
VASCULAR INSUFFICIENCY: Using oxymetazoline can cause vascular insufficiency (leg veins not working properly). Before starting oxymetazoline, tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of skin problems like scleroderma or circulation problems such as Raynaud’s disease or Sjogren’s syndrome. Call your doctor immediately if you develop pain, swelling, cramps, leg weakness, or leg ulcers while using oxymetazoline.
NARROW-ANGLE GLAUCOMA: Oxymetazoline can increase the risk of developing narrow-angle glaucoma (high pressure inside the eye). If left untreated, this can lead to permanent vision loss. Before starting oxymetazoline, tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of glaucoma. Get emergency medical attention if you develop eye pain, redness, blurred vision, or seeing halos.

Precautions Before Starting Oxymetazoline (Rhofade)

Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to oxymetazoline, any of the active or inactive ingredients in oxymetazoline cream, or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients.

Give your doctor and pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, nutritional supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible drug interactions.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Oxymetazoline may not be right for people with certain medical conditions such as high or low blood pressure, heart disease, stroke or mini-stroke, scleroderma, Raynaud’s disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, circulation problems, and thromboangitis obliterans.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Precautions During Use of Oxymetazoline (Rhofade)

Keep all your healthcare appointments while using oxymetazoline.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while on oxymetazoline.

Oxymetazoline (Rhofade) Drug Interactions

Certain other drugs can affect how oxymetazoline works. Possible interactions between oxymetazoline and other medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse reactions.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have taken in the past 2 weeks drugs belonging to a group called monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, such as linezolid (Zyvox), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), phenelzine (Nardil), isocarboxazid (Marplan), and tranylcypromine (Parnate).

Some of the other medications that can interact with oxymetazoline include:

Alpha blockers such as tamsulosin (Flomax), alfuzosin (Uroxatral), prazosin (Minipress), doxazosin (Cardura), terazosin (Hytrin), and silodosin (Rapaflo) (these medications are used to treat hypertension and enlarged prostate gland)

Beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), betaxolol (Betoptic S), levobunolol (Betagan), propranolol (Inderal), nadolol (Corgard), and timolol (Betimol, Timoptic)

Other medications for hypertension

Heart medications such as digoxin (Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin)

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, OTC medications, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription medications.

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