Health Care Tips  Alcohol alert
Do You Know
Combination with alcohol and medicines can be harmful. Alcohol, like some medicine, will make you to sleepy, dozy, or faint. Drinking alcohol while taking medicine can make stronger these effects. You may have trouble engaged or performing unconscious skills. Small amounts of alcohol can make it risky to drive, and when you mix alcohol with certain medicines you put yourself at even greater danger. Combining alcohol with some medicines can lead to fall down and serious injuries, specially among older people.
Medicines may have a lot of ingredient
Some medications plus many popular painkillers and cough, cold, and allergy remedies contain more than one element that can react with alcohol. Read the label on the medicine bottle to find out accurately what ingredients a medicine contains. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about how alcohol act together with a drug you are taking.
Some medicine contain alcohol
Some medicines contain up to 10 percent alcohol. Cough syrup and laxatives may have some of the highest alcohol concentration.
Alcohol harmful to women in a different way
Women's has a higher risk for troubles than men. When a woman drinks, the alcohol in her bloodstream naturally reaches a higher level than a man's even if both are drinking the same quantity. This is because women's bodies normally have less water than men's bodies. Because alcohol mixes with body water, a given amount of alcohol is more intense in a woman's body than in a man's. As a result, women are more vulnerable to alcohol-related damage to organs such as the liver.
Older people have a greater risk of alcohol
Older people are at mainly high risk for harmful alcohol, medication connections. Aging slow the body's aptitude to break down alcohol, so alcohol leftover in a person's system longer. Older people also are more likely to take a medication that work together with alcohol, in fact, they often need to take more than one of these medication.
Timing is vital
Alcohol and medicines can cooperate harmfully even if they are not taken at the similar time.
keep in mind.
Combination of alcohol and medicine puts you at risk for unsafe reactions. Protect yourself by avoiding alcohol if you are taking a tablets and don't know its effect. To learn more about a medicine and whether it will work together with alcohol, talk to your pharmacist or other health care supplier.
| Symptom/Disorders |
Medication
(Brand name) |
Medication
(Generic name) |
Some possible reactions with alcohol |
Allergies/Colds/Flu |
• Alavert® |
Loratadine |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose |
• Allegra®, Allegra-D® |
Fexofenadin |
• Benadryl® |
Diphenhydramine |
• Clarinex® |
Desloratadine |
• Claritin®, Claritin-D® |
Loratadine |
• Dimetapp® Cold & Allergy |
Brompheniramine |
• Sudafed® Sinus & Allergy |
Chlorpheniramine |
• Triaminic® Cold & Allergy |
Chlorpheniramine |
• Tylenol® Allergy Sinus |
Chlorpheniramine |
• Tylenol® Cold & Flu |
Chlorpheniramine |
• Zyrtec® |
Cetirizine |
Angina (chest pain), coronary heart disease |
• Isordil® |
Isosorbide |
Rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure, dizziness, fainting |
Nitroglycerin |
Anxiety and epilepsy |
• Ativan® |
Lorazepam |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose; slowed or difficulty breathing; impaired motor control; unusual behavior; and memory problems |
• Klonopin® |
Clonazepam |
• Librium® |
Chlordiazepoxide |
• Paxil® |
Paroxetine |
• Valium® |
Diazepam |
• Xanax® |
Alprazolam |
• Herbal preparations (Kava Kava) |
|
Liver damage, drowsiness |
Arthritis |
• Celebrex® |
Celecoxib |
Ulcers, stomach bleeding, liver problems |
• Naprosyn® |
Naproxen |
• Voltaren® |
Diclofenac |
Blood clots |
• Coumadin® |
Warfarin |
Occasional drinking may lead to internal bleeding; heavier drinking also may cause bleeding or may have the opposite effect, resulting in possible blood clots, strokes, or heart attacks |
Cough |
• Delsym®, Robitussin Cough® |
Dextromethorpan |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose |
• Robitussin A–C® |
Guaifenesin + codeine |
Depression |
• Anafranil® |
Clomipramine |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose; increased feelings of depression or hopelessness in adolescents (suicide) |
• Celexa® |
Citalopram |
• Desyrel® |
Trazodone |
• Effexor® |
Venlafaxine |
• Elavil® |
Amitriptyline |
• Lexapro® |
Escitalopram |
• Luvox® |
Fluvoxamine |
• Norpramin® |
Desipramine |
• Paxil® |
Paroxetine |
• Prozac® |
Fluoxetine |
• Serzone® |
Nefazodone |
• Wellbutrin® |
Bupropion |
• Zoloft® |
Sertraline |
• Herbal preparations (St. John’s Wort) |
|
Diabetes |
• Glucophage® |
Metformin |
Abnormally low blood sugar levels, flushing reaction (nausea, vomiting, headache, rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure) |
• Micronase® |
Glyburide |
• Orinase® |
Tolbutamide |
Enlarged prostate |
• Cardura® |
Doxazosin |
Dizziness, light headedness, fainting |
• Flomax® |
Tamsulosin |
• Hytrin® |
Terazosin |
• Minipress® |
Prazosin |
Heartburn, indigestion, sour stomach |
• Axid® |
Nizatidine |
Rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure (metoclopramide); increased alcohol effect |
• Reglan® |
Metoclopramide |
• Tagamet® |
Cimetidine |
• Zantac® |
Ranitidine |
High blood pressure |
• Accupril® |
Quinapril |
Dizziness, fainting, drowsiness; heart problems such as changes in the heart’s regular heartbeat (arrhythmia) |
• Capozide® |
Hydrochlorothiazide |
• Cardura® |
Doxazosin |
• Catapres® |
Clonidine |
• Cozaar® |
Losartan |
• Hytrin® |
Terazosin |
• Lopressor® HCT |
Hydrochlorothiazide |
• Lotensin® |
Benzapril |
• Minipress® |
Prazosin |
• Vaseretic® |
Enalapril |
High cholesterol |
• Advicor® |
Lovastatin + Niacin |
Liver damage (all medications); increased flushing and itching (niacin), increased stomach bleeding (pravastatin + aspirin) |
• Altocor® |
Lovastatin |
• Crestor® |
Rosuvastatin |
• Lipitor® |
Atorvastatin |
• Mevacor® |
Lovastatin |
• Niaspan® |
Niacin |
• Pravachol® |
Pravastatin |
• Pravigard™ |
Pravastatin + Aspirin |
• Vytorin™ |
Ezetimibe + Simvastatin |
• Zocor® |
Simvastatin |
Infections |
• Acrodantin® |
Nitrofurantoin |
Fast heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure; stomach pain, upset stomach, vomiting, headache, or flushing or redness of the face; liver damage (isoniazid, ketokonazole) |
• Flagyl® |
Metronidazole |
• Grisactin® |
Griseofulvin |
• Nizoral® |
Ketokonazole |
• Nydrazid® |
Isoniazid |
• Seromycin® |
Cycloserine |
• Tindamax® |
Tinidazole |
Muscle pain |
• Flexeril® |
Cyclobenzaprine |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk of seizures; increased risk for overdose; slowed or difficulty breathing; impaired motor control; unusual behavior; memory problems |
• Soma® |
Carisoprodol |
Nausea, motion sickness |
• Antivert® |
Meclizine |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose |
• Atarax® |
Hydroxyzine |
• Dramamine® |
Dimenhydrinate |
• Phenergan® |
Promethazine |
Pain (such as headache, muscle ache, minor arthritis pain), fever, inflammation |
• Advil® |
Ibuprofen |
Stomach upset, bleeding and ulcers; liver damage (acetaminophen); rapid heartbeat |
• Aleve® |
Naproxen |
• Excedrin® |
Aspirin, Acetaminophen |
• Motrin® |
Ibuprofen |
• Tylenol® |
Acetaminophen |
Seizures |
• Dilantin® |
Phenytoin |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk of seizures |
• Klonopin® |
Clonazepam
Phenobarbital |
Severe pain from injury, postsurgical care, oral surgery, migraines |
• Darvocet–N® |
Propoxyphene |
Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose; slowed or difficulty breathing; impaired motor control; unusual behavior; memory problems |
• Demerol® |
Merepidine |
• Fiorinal® with codeine |
Butalbital + codeine |
• Percocet® |
Oxycodone |
• Vicodin® |
Hydrocodone |
Sleep problems |
• Ambien® |
Zolpidem |
Drowsiness, sleepiness, dizziness; slowed or difficulty breathing; impaired motor control; unusual behavior; memory problems |
• Lunesta™ |
Eszopiclone |
• Prosom™ |
Estazolam |
• Restoril® |
Temazepam |
• Sominex® |
Diphenhydramine |
• Unisom® |
Doxylamine |
• Herbal preparations (chamomile, valerian, lavender) |
|
Increased drowsiness |
|
