Medicines that should never be taken while drinking alcohol

There are many medications that should not be consumed with alcohol because even a small amount 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 the 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 increases the effects of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping pills. 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 sedatives, or even reduce the effectiveness of the medication.

So, don't risk taking a sedative and drinking alcohol, even if the amount of alcohol is only 1.2 glasses, as there have been cases of overdose and death from this combination, and be sure to completely stop drinking alcohol when taking sedatives or anti-anxiety drugs with sedative effects 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. Clinical pharmacist Megan Rech at Loyola University Medical Center said that drugs used to treat high blood pressure lower blood pressure, but alcohol can have side effects and cause blood pressure to drop too low, causing dizziness or fainting. Cholesterol-lowering drugs are metabolized in the liver, so drinking alcohol regularly or excessively can easily lead to liver damage and stomach bleeding.

Antidepressants

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

Additionally, patients should be aware that an antidepressant called oxidase inhibitor can cause heart problems and high blood pressure, even death, when combined with alcohol. Therefore, 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 worse than usual.

Doctors recommend that you do not drink alcohol if 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 increases if you drink alcohol while taking allergy medications. 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 any 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