Many risks if drinking alcohol while taking medication

90% of alcohol is metabolized mainly through the liver, while the liver is an organ that contains many enzymes that help metabolize most drugs, so interactions between alcohol and drugs occur. There are more than 900 active ingredients in drugs that interact when used simultaneously with alcohol. This can increase or decrease the effects of the drug, increasing the risk of unwanted effects that seriously affect the health and life of the patient.

Alcohol lowers blood pressure in some heart patients: One study found that heart medications were the class of medications with the highest rate of interaction with alcohol (about 24%). Alcohol can lower blood pressure in some heart diseases. Therefore, using antihypertensive drugs and alcohol at the same time can cause a synergistic effect on the patient's blood pressure, causing severe blood pressure reduction and potentially leading to death.

Some medications that may be affected include: Alpha blockers (clonidine, doxazosin) interact with alcohol, leading to excessive lowering of blood pressure and sedation. Nitroglycerin and isosorbide are vasodilators and anti-anginals used to help prevent angina attacks. Depression and hypotension are conditions that can occur when these preparations are used concomitantly with alcohol. Beta blockers (carvedilol, propranolol, atenolol, acebutolol, metoprolol, nebivolol…) can lower blood pressure when combined with alcohol. Headache, dizziness, fainting, and irregular heartbeat are symptoms you may experience.

Alcohol affects cholesterol treatment: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are widely prescribed drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol/lipidemia. However, using drugs in this group with alcohol will lead to the risk of excessive increase in triglyceride levels, leading to the risk of liver damage even with only small amounts of alcohol.

Alcohol has a negative impact on diabetes: For patients who have difficulty controlling their blood sugar, drinking alcohol can make the condition worse due to impaired blood glucose levels. Long-term use of alcohol and alcoholic beverages in diabetic patients with good nutrition will increase blood glucose levels. On the contrary, in patients with poor nutrition, drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can lead to severe hypoglycemia with symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, rapid heart rate... It is especially important to note that using alcohol with metformin can increase the risk of lactic acidosis. This is a rare side effect with symptoms such as drowsiness, slow heart rate, cold, muscle pain, shortness of breath, stomach pain...

In addition, many groups of drugs can interact with alcohol including antibiotics, antidepressants, H2 antihistamines, antiarrhythmics, sedatives, pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, etc.