General medical words
What Does Concomitant Mean on a Medicine Label?
Concomitant · say it: kon-KOM-ih-tuntAlso written: concomitant use, concurrent, coadministration, taken together
Short answer
Concomitant means 'at the same time'; on a medicine label, concomitant use means taking two medicines during the same period.
What it means
Concomitant is a formal word meaning 'happening at the same time as something else'. On medicine labels, 'concomitant use' or 'concomitant medications' means other medicines you are taking during the same period, not necessarily at the exact same moment of the day.
Labels use the word in their 'Drug interactions' and 'Warnings' sections, for example 'concomitant use with opioids may cause profound sedation'. The label is pointing out that a combination can change how one or both medicines work or raise the chance of side effects. It may say to avoid the combination, adjust doses or monitor more closely.
Spacing two tablets a few hours apart usually does not stop them being 'concomitant', because both are in your body over the same days. Only some interactions, such as those with antacids, can be managed by spacing.
Where you may see it
- The 'Drug interactions' section of medicine labels
- Boxed warnings about combining medicines
- Clinical study descriptions in labels
📄 How it looks on a report
Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death.
🙅 What it does not mean
- Concomitant does not mean taking two tablets at the same minute; it means during the same period of treatment.
- A concomitant use warning does not always mean never; sometimes a combination is used with care.
- Spacing doses apart does not avoid most interactions.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
🧾 Reports where you will see “Concomitant”
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💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Concomitant”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Allopurinol
a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, a prescription medicine that acts on uric acid
- Alprazolam
a benzodiazepine, a type of central nervous system medicine
- Amoxicillin
a penicillin-class antibacterial medicine that works against bacteria
- Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium
A penicillin-class antibacterial combined with a beta-lactamase inhibitor, as the label describes it
- Atorvastatin
a statin, a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor type
- Bisoprolol Fumarate
a beta-blocker, which the label describes as a synthetic, beta 1-selective (cardioselective) adrenoceptor blocking agent
- Ciprofloxacin
a fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicine
- Clonazepam
a benzodiazepine, a type of medicine that slows activity in the central nervous system
- Diazepam
A benzodiazepine, a type of medicine that slows activity in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
- Doxycycline
a tetracycline-class antibacterial medicine (an antibiotic)
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Concomitant” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “concomitant”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.