Medication And Alcohol: What’s The Concern?

Written By Marija Nestorovic / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

When picking up medicine from the drug store, you might have noticed alcohol warning labels. Your doctor can also tell you to avoid alcohol while prescribing you specific medicines. You should take heed or such instructions to avoid any health risks, which can sometimes turn deadly.

For example, you should not mix mistroprosol and alcohol as it might aggravate your gastric ulcers, and the condition will take longer to heal. Overall, you should not take alcohol with any medication, and there are specific ones that can cause adverse reactions, and you should minimize risk by avoiding it completely.

It is not a good idea to drink alcohol when under medication and here’s why.

Alcohol

It is mostly used for recreational purposes and it has been utilized for centuries. Its effects are documented, for example, it can lead to liver cirrhosis, organ damage, and it is addictive. Statistics show that a huge percentage of liver deaths are alcohol related. Alcohol is classified as a drug and it ranks second as one of the most abused after nicotine.

Alcohol depresses the central nervous system and can be used to block pain in therapy. It does so by reducing neural pathway nerve signal transmission when it boosts the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory neurotransmitter. The effects include reduced memory skills, poor decision making and depression. 

Ingredients

Medicines have their active ingredients and in different amounts. For example, a drug treating one condition might not be as concentrated when used for other ailments. If medicines have active ingredients that are reactive with alcohol, you will find label warnings, and you should follow them to protect your health.

Medicines react differently with alcohol or with other drugs, and they can be included on the labels and it shows the importance of always reading the instructions.

Allergic reactions

It is a standard practice in hospitals for a physician attending to you to inquire about any allergic reactions regarding medicines and foods. Certain medications may cause allergic reactions, and a physician will be careful not to prescribe drugs with ingredients that are a risk to you.

If you are purchasing over-the-counter medications, you should always research or consult your doctor or the pharmacist you find at the store. It ensures your safety as you will know what you are about to take.

Side effects

Sometimes it might not be your intention to mix alcohol with medicine, for example, because of confusing labels. If you have the right information with you, it is easy to avoid such risks, and here are examples of side effects that they might lead to.

Mixing motrin and ibuprofen can lead to liver damage, stomach bleeding, and upset. Alcohol mixed with Ambien causes memory issues, breathing difficulties and frequent drowsiness. Caffeine is a stimulant while alcohol is a depressant and mixing the two can make you drink more alcohol than usual, and it ends up affecting your health.

Additionally, misoprostol and alcohol should never be mixed since alcohol is likely to reduce this medication’s efficiency and slow down the healing process. 

Blood pressure medication

Alcohol is safe to take with some blood pressure medicines, but it should be under the watch of your physician. If you do not have the greenlight, you should not try, even though you might find documentation online supporting the same. For example, you might read that it causes hypotension, but you should always confirm with your physician.

Wrapping Up

Alcohol and medicine are like two sides of a coin as they should not interact in your body. Alcohol affects the functioning of medicines, and it can be dangerous to your health. It has serious short-term effects, such as stomach bleeding, and permanent effects like liver damage.

Alcohol is addictive like any other drug and can lead you to overdose. As you take medicines, avoid alcohol to safeguard your health.

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Written By:

Marija Nestorovic has been a health and diet enthusiast for as long as she remembers. She's passionate about questioning every new dietary trend that comes up and determining whether it's scientifically proven or just another fad diet. She enjoys spreading her knowledge on the subject and helping people kick-start their weight loss healthily and sustainably.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash