Key takeaways:
Triazolam (Halcion) is a benzodiazepine that’s FDA approved as a short-term treatment for insomnia in adults. Triazolam is a sedative, so it can interact with other sedatives, leading to excessive sleepiness and an increased risk of accidents.
You should avoid taking triazolam with alcohol, opioid pain medications, and muscle relaxers. It’s also best to avoid combining it with other sleep medications and gabapentin (Neurontin).
Some antibiotics, antifungals, and antiviral medications can raise triazolam levels and increase the risk of side effects. Some anti-seizure medications can lower triazolam levels, making it less effective.
Triazolam (Halcion) is FDA approved as a short-term treatment for insomnia in adults. It’s a type of medication called a benzodiazepine.
Triazolam works by slowing activity in your brain, which helps you feel calm and fall asleep. But it can also lead to interactions with other substances that work the same way. Triazolam interactions can also occur with medications that raise or lower triazolam levels in the body. Here, we’ll review interactions to be aware of while taking triazolam.
Triazolam interactions at a glance
Below is a list of possible triazolam interactions. This is not a complete list, so be sure to share your personal medication list with your pharmacist and prescriber before taking triazolam. They can check for possible interactions and advise you on how to handle them.
Triazolam may interact with:
Alcohol
Gabapentin (Neurontin, Horizant, Gralise)
Opioid pain medications, such as oxycodone (Roxicodone)
Other sleep medications, such as zolpidem (Ambien)
First-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Other benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax)
Muscle relaxers, such as cyclobenzaprine (Amrix)
Some oral antifungal medications, such as itraconazole (Sporanox)
Some antibiotics, such as clarithromycin (Biaxin)
Some anti-seizure medications, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro)
Some antiviral medications, such as ritonavir (Norvir)
Grapefruit juice
Melatonin
Sedating antidepressants, such as nefazodone and trazodone
Let’s review seven key triazolam interactions to be aware of.
1. Alcohol
It’s best to avoid alcohol while taking triazolam. This combination can cause severe dizziness, drowsiness, and slow, shallow breathing. It also increases your risk for memory and coordination problems.
Combining triazolam with alcohol can raise the risk of performing activities like eating or driving while not fully awake. And consuming alcohol also raises your risk for a triazolam overdose, which can be life-threatening.
Talk with your prescriber if you have questions or concerns about avoiding alcohol while you’re taking triazolam. If needed, they can suggest strategies to help you stop drinking or recommend a safer sleep medication.
2. Opioids
Opioids are prescribed for moderate-to-severe pain. Examples include:
As with alcohol, taking triazolam with opioids can worsen side effects, causing extreme drowsiness and dizziness. This combination can also raise the risk of overdose, coma, and even death.
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You should avoid taking triazolam and opioids together unless your prescriber determines that the benefits outweigh the risks.
3. Muscle relaxers
Muscle relaxers are used to treat muscle stiffness, rigidity, and spasms. Common examples include:
Tizanidine (Zanaflex)
Carisoprodol (Soma)
Like triazolam, muscle relaxers can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and poor coordination. Taking these medications together can make these side effects more severe, raising the risk of accidental harm.
Triazolam and other benzodiazepines also have muscle-relaxing effects of their own. So it’s unlikely you’ll need to take an additional muscle relaxer with triazolam. Still, it’s good to know this combination should be avoided unless your prescriber OKs it.
4. Other sleep medications
Triazolam is approved to help with short-term insomnia. But you shouldn’t combine it with other sleep medications. Doing so could lead to extreme drowsiness and dangerously slow breathing.
Examples of sleep medications to avoid while taking triazolam include:
Diphenhydramine (ZzzQuil)
If triazolam doesn’t help your insomnia, let your prescriber know. They may recommend trying a different medication for your symptoms. But they’ll likely have you stop taking triazolam before starting another option.
5. Gabapentin
Gabapentin is an anti-seizure medication, but it’s also prescribed off-label for nerve pain. Combining gabapentin and triazolam increases your risk for dizziness, drowsiness, and poor coordination.
If your prescriber OKs it, you may be able to take gabapentin during the day and triazolam at night. But it’s best to avoid taking these medications at the same time or close together. Your prescriber can give you specific instructions to follow if they determine you need both medications.
6. Certain antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals
Antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals are used to treat different types of infections. Many of these medications can increase triazolam levels in your body. This happens because they block an enzyme (protein) that helps break down triazolam.
Antibiotics that can interact with triazolam include:
Clarithromycin
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Erythromycin (Ery-Tab)
Antifungals that can interact with triazolam include:
Itraconazole
Ketoconazole
Posaconazole (Noxafil)
Voriconazole (Vfend)
Fluconazole (Diflucan)
Antivirals that can interact with triazolam include:
Ritonavir, as well as combination medications that include it, such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir)
Letermovir (Prevymis)
Taking triazolam with these anti-infective medications can increase the risk of side effects, such as dizziness and memory problems. Some combinations should be avoided completely. Others may require a lower triazolam dosage.
Be sure to let your prescriber know you’re taking triazolam before starting an anti-infective medication, so they can take steps to ensure your safety.
7. Certain seizure medications
Certain anti-seizure medications can interact with triazolam. These medications increase the breakdown of triazolam in the body. This can lower triazolam levels and make it less effective.
Examples of anti-seizure medications that interact with triazolam include:
Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
Primidone (Mysoline)
It’s best to avoid taking triazolam with these medications. Your prescriber can recommend a different insomnia treatment if needed.
The bottom line
Triazolam (Halcion) is a prescription-only sleep aid used for short-term treatment of insomnia in adults. Because it’s a sedative, combining it with other sedating medications — such as opioids, muscle relaxers, or other sleep aids — can cause severe drowsiness. It can also increase your risk of falls, accidents, and breathing problems. You should avoid alcohol while taking triazolam for the same reasons.
Some antibiotics, antifungals, and antiviral drugs can raise triazolam levels in your body, increasing the chance of side effects. On the other hand, certain anti-seizure medications can lower triazolam levels. This can make triazolam less effective.
Tell your prescriber and pharmacist about all the medications you're taking to catch potential triazolam interactions before they occur.
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References
Bauters, T., et al. (2024). Chapter 31: Clinically relevant drug interactions in HCT. The EBMT Handbook: Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies. Springer.
Hernandez, I., et al. (2018). Exposure-response association between concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use and risk of opioid-related overdose in Medicare Part D beneficiaries. JAMA Network Open.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals. (2025). Triazolam - triazolam tablet [package insert].
See, S., et al. (2008). Choosing a skeletal muscle relaxant. American Family Physician.
