In a lot of cases when a pharmacy prescription is delivered or dispensed, one of the first and biggest pieces of advice is about alcohol consumption when taking the medication.
Whilst the harms that can be caused by alcohol are understood and neither doctors nor pharmacists are going to recommend drinking, it is also something that if consumed in moderation (ie less than 14 units a week spread over at least three days) the general risks associated with it can be mitigated and avoided.
An occasional glass of wine with a meal is unlikely to cause long-term harm, except with certain conditions and when taking certain medications, since alcohol can change how they work.
If you want to continue to drink, consult your GP or seek advice from your local pharmacy first to ensure that the two mixing together will not cause problems.
Why Can Alcohol And Prescription Medication Cause Problems?
Whilst we do not often think of it that way, alcohol is a drug, and like any other drug, it can have serious side effects when it interacts with other medications.
It is a depressant, and most people who have drunk to excess at least once know that it can impair both mental and physical function, as well as reduce the sensation of pain.
This does not just include recreational drinking either; some cough medicines and painkillers have alcohol as an active ingredient as well.
Generally, when alcohol interacts with another medication (and according to the National Institute of Health And Care Excellence over 300 medications interact with alcohol) it either stops them from working effectively, intensifies the side effects or intensifies the effects of alcohol.
The effects can vary wildly depending on which medication is prescribed, the level of alcohol taken and the individual themselves.
Sometimes the effects are merely unpleasant, such as nausea, feeling sleepy, slowed reactions or a lower tolerance for alcohol (and all the potential risks outside the scope of medication).
However, in other cases, it can be extremely dangerous to drink alcohol with prescription medications in your system. A doctor will generally ask about your drinking habits before prescribing certain medications, but it is always a good question to ask if you are uncertain.
Certain types of antibiotics, most notably metronidazole and tinidazole, interact strongly with
alcohol, causing serious side effects such as an irregular heartbeat, hot flashes, dizziness, headaches and stomach pains.
As well as this, prescription painkillers (and some stronger over-the-counter cold and flu remedies) cause significant side effects when mixed with alcohol, with tramadol and codeine potentially causing severe drowsiness and intoxication.
Statins, a cholesterol-lowering medication used to treat a range of cardiovascular diseases, can be extremely dangerous when taken together, particularly for people who drink regularly.
Interactions with antidepressants such as SSRIs can cause drowsiness, and dizziness and can have unpredictable side effects, caused due to alcohol’s depressant qualities.
Sedatives such as diazepam can lead to unconsciousness, coma and even a dangerously slow heart rate, which can cause slower breathing, hypoxia and even death.
Drinking in moderation does not affect every medication, but if you wish to continue drinking or expect to drink whilst the prescription course is ongoing you should ask your GP first and be on the lookout for potential side effects.