ALCOHOL consumption skyrocketed in 2020. While usage has tapered since the peak of the pandemic, providers should continue to talk to patients about their relationship with alcohol and encourage healthy habits.
Antibiotics are one class to watch out for. Certain drugs are more concerning than others, so there tends to be confusion about whether it’s okay to drink alcohol or not. One to keep an eye on is erythromycin. Erythromycin can increase blood alcohol levels and the effects of drinking, making patients feel more intoxicated than anticipated.
Similarly, taking metronidazole with alcohol might cause a disulfiram-like reaction – leading to nausea and general hangover-like symptoms. There’s some controversy over how likely this is to occur, but the general consensus is to avoid drinking while taking metronidazole.
Additionally, patients might not realize that certain antibiotics such as doxycycline might be less effective in patients who are regular drinkers. If patients aren’t able to stop drinking, providers might consider an alternative drug.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- Nurse Holds Doctor Hostage In OAU Teaching Hospital, Resident Doctors Plan Strike
- Woman’s Corpse, Unconscious Man Found Inside Office In Aba After Four Days
- Hoodlums Attack Lagos Governor’s Press Crew Bus In Tinubu’s Convoy, Two Injured
- [BREAKING] #EkitiDecides2022: INEC Declares APC’s Biodun Oyebanji Winner Of Guber Poll
- Top 10 Business Ideas In Nigeria You Can Start With 100,000 Naira
- 2023: Kwankwaso Will Not Be Deputy To Obi —NNPP
Also talk to patients about antihypertensive drugs. Chronic drinking can cause hypertension. But moderate drinking while taking antihypertensive drugs can increase the effects of these drugs, leading to hypotension.
Additionally, drinking red wine can rapidly increase blood levels of extended-release felodipine and its side effects. Advise patients taking extended-release felodipine to avoid red wine specifically.
There are many other drug-alcohol interactions to watch out for, including interactions with painkillers and antidepressants. There are a lot of factors to consider – you’ll note in our specific interaction entries that some concerns might only be related to binge drinking, while others might apply only to chronic drinkers.
and then