Medicines that should never be taken while drinking alcohol

There are many medications that should not be consumed with alcohol because even small amounts can affect the safety and effectiveness of the medication. So which medications have the strongest interactions with alcohol?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can increase your risk of stomach bleeding and ulcers. Drinking alcohol can make these side effects worse. Acetaminophen can directly affect the liver, and drinking alcohol can put your liver at risk of overwork.

Sleeping pills

Alcohol makes sleeping pills, both prescription and over-the-counter, more effective. This is not a good thing because it can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and slowed breathing when taken with sedatives. Additionally, alcohol can make you sleep longer or double the amount of sleep the sedative takes, or even reduce the effectiveness of the medication.

Therefore, do not risk taking a sedative and drinking alcohol, even if the amount of alcohol is only 1.2 glasses, because there have been cases of overdose and death from this combination, and be sure to completely stop drinking when taking a sedative or anti-anxiety drug with a sedative effect such as Xanax.

Alcohol increases the effects of sleeping pills, so do not drive while taking medication.

Blood pressure and cholesterol lowering drugs

People taking medications to treat cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol should be cautious about drinking alcohol. Medications used to treat high blood pressure work by lowering blood pressure, but alcohol can have side effects and cause blood pressure to drop too low, causing dizziness or fainting, said Megan Rech, a clinical pharmacist at Loyola University Medical Center. Cholesterol-lowering medications are metabolized in the liver, so drinking alcohol regularly or in excess can easily lead to liver damage and stomach bleeding.

Antidepressants

Like sleeping pills, antidepressants can cause drowsiness and dizziness, which can be exacerbated by drinking alcohol, putting people at increased risk of injury, such as falls or car accidents. In addition, alcohol can cause storage and make underlying depression worse.

Also, be aware that the antidepressant oxidase inhibitor can cause heart problems and high blood pressure, even death, when combined with alcohol. So if you take this medication, you should avoid drinking alcohol completely.

Antibiotics

When prescribing antibiotics, especially metronidazole, tinidazole, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cephalosporins, doctors often warn you not to drink alcohol because alcohol can be dangerous. This is because these drugs contain enzymes that react with alcohol and can cause headaches, flushing, rapid heartbeat, nausea, and vomiting that are worse than usual.

Doctors recommend that you do not drink alcohol while you are taking antibiotics. If you do, you should wait 72 hours after your last dose or until you have recovered from the illness because when you take antibiotics, your body is fighting an acute infection.

Allergy and cold medications

Over-the-counter allergy medications like Benadryl and Zyrtec contain antihistamines, which can cause excessive drowsiness and put you at risk if you drive or operate machinery. This risk is increased if you drink alcohol while taking your allergy medication. Even antihistamines that are marketed as non-drowsy (like Claritin and Allegra) can cause drowsiness in some people, especially when combined with alcohol.

Antihistamines are also used in some cold and flu medications such as Nyquil, and some nighttime sleep aids should not be taken with alcohol. If you need to drink alcohol for some reason while taking one of these medications, do so in moderation and make sure you do not drive or put yourself at risk of an accident or injury.

According to SK&DS