Alcohol and medicines

1. A glass of wine with dinner, a beer in the pub or a nice drink to end the day. In general, a drink does not do much harm, but if you are taking medication it is wise to be careful with alcohol. When is it even better to leave it completely?

1. You probably won't be surprised that alcohol has an effect on your body. Everyone has probably felt light-headed, cheerful and chatty after one drink too much, but there's more to it. Alcohol enters the bloodstream through the esophagus, stomach and small intestine and then spreads throughout the body. It can therefore have an effect everywhere, for example on the liver, blood sugar, heart and blood vessels, blood clotting and the brain. Age, gender, body weight, condition, but also the situation determine how strongly you react. The ways in which alcohol and medicines affect each other can be roughly divided into four categories. Medicines can slow the breakdown of alcohol, so that the alcohol stays in the body longer. You can notice this by, for example, a warm and red face, nausea, headache, drop in blood pressure, dizziness and palpitations. Alcohol can slow the breakdown of some medicines, making them stay in the body longer. You then get the same kind of effect as with an overdose of the drug. Alcohol can accelerate the breakdown of some medicines, which reduces the effect of the medicine. Alcohol can increase the effect and side effects of a medicine. You see this, for example, with substances that make you drowsy and reduce the ability to concentrate and react.

2. It probably comes as no surprise that alcohol has an effect on your body. Everyone has probably felt light-headed, cheerful and chatty after one drink too much, but there's more to it. Alcohol enters the blood through the esophagus, stomach and small intestine and then spreads throughout the body. It can therefore have an effect everywhere, for example on the liver, blood sugar, heart and blood vessels, blood clotting and the brain. Age, gender, body weight, condition, but also the situation determine how strongly you react. The ways in which alcohol and medicines affect each other can be roughly divided into four categories. Medicines can slow the breakdown of alcohol, so that the alcohol stays in the body longer. You can notice this by, for example, a warm and red face, nausea, headache, drop in blood pressure, dizziness and palpitations. Alcohol can slow the breakdown of some medicines, making them stay in the body longer. You then get the same kind of effect as with an overdose of the drug. Alcohol can accelerate the breakdown of some medicines, which reduces the effect of the medicine. Alcohol can increase the effect and side effects of a medicine. You see this, for example, with substances that make you drowsy and reduce the ability to concentrate and react.

Painkillers

1. Many painkillers, such as the NSAIDs ibuprofen, diclofenac and naxoproxen, irritate the gastric mucosa. In combination with alcohol, you are more likely to get stomach aches. The same goes for acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). These painkillers also thin the blood, causing it to clot more slowly if you have a wound. Alcohol widens the vessels, causing you to bleed even longer. In principle, you can use paracetamol in combination with alcohol. Only people who use alcohol excessively should watch out for liver damage. Chronic alcohol consumption causes the concentration of acetaminophen to increase, making it toxic to the liver. Opioids derived from morphine (also codeine) just like alcohol numb the brain. In combination, they reinforce each other: this makes you drowsy, sleepy and reduces your concentration.

2. Many painkillers, such as the NSAIDs ibuprofen, diclofenac and naxoproxen, irritate the gastric mucosa. In combination with alcohol, you are more likely to get stomach problems. The same goes for acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). These painkillers also thin the blood, causing it to clot more slowly if you have a wound. Alcohol dilates the vessels, causing you to bleed even longer. In principle, you can use paracetamol in combination with alcohol. Only people who use alcohol excessively should watch out for liver damage. Chronic alcohol consumption causes the concentration of acetaminophen to increase, making it toxic to the liver. Opioids derived from morphine (also codeine) just like alcohol numb the brain. In combination, they reinforce each other: this makes you drowsy, sleepy and reduces your concentration.

Antibiotics

1. Many people think that you should not drink alcohol with antibiotics, but this is highly dependent on the antibiotic. No special guidelines apply to most antibiotics. The antibiotic metronidazole is an exception: you may not drink alcohol until two days after the treatment. The combination may lead to palpitations, headaches and a drop in blood pressure, among other things. The drug ketoconazole, for fungal infections - could have the same effect.

Narcotics

1. With antidepressants, medicines for allergies and sleeping pills and sedatives, you often suffer from drowsiness and a reduced ability to concentrate and react. Alcohol enhances this effect. It is especially important to take this into account if you participate in traffic or carry out work that requires you to pay attention.

2. With antidepressants, medicines for allergies and sleeping pills and sedatives you often suffer from drowsiness and a reduced ability to concentrate and react. Alcohol enhances this effect. It is especially important to take this into account if you participate in traffic or carry out work that requires you to pay attention.

Diabetes drugs

1. Alcohol has no influence on insulin and other blood sugar lowering agents. However, people with diabetes should be careful with alcohol, as it can cause hypo. If you drink alcohol with a full stomach, this is less likely.

Package insert

1. If a medicine cannot be combined with alcohol, it is always stated in the package insert. In addition, the pharmacist often warns you against the use of alcohol in combination with medication. They often put a sticker or label on your medicine. Yellow sticker with 'This medicine can reduce your reaction time.' This effect can be enhanced by alcohol. Label with 'Do not use alcohol with this medicine.' This medicine slows the breakdown of alcohol. Label with "Be careful with alcohol." The breakdown of the drug is inhibited by alcohol, so that the effects of the drug are enhanced. Label with 'Beware of alcohol for stomach upset.' You can find this sticker on NSAIDs and acetylsalicylic acid because they can damage the gastric mucosa. Any bleeding is then amplified by alcohol. A