[Not So Safe] The Dance of Alcohol and Drugs - A Dangerous Encounter

"Cephalosporin and alcohol, just go", these eight short words make everyone remember that cephalosporin antibiotics cannot be taken with alcohol at the same time. So, in addition to alcohol, what other drinks cannot be taken with some medicines at the same time? Let's take a look together.

1. Antibiotics

In addition to cephalosporins, many antibiotics cannot be taken with alcohol at the same time. Taking cephalosporin antibiotics orally and then consuming alcohol may cause a disulfiram-like reaction, which is manifested by symptoms such as paralysis of the limbs, drowsiness, dizziness, hallucinations, headaches, nausea, vomiting, chest tightness, etc. In severe cases, blood pressure may drop, respiratory depression, shock, etc. The patient may develop symptoms 5-10 minutes after drinking, and the reaction may last from 30 minutes to several hours.

2. Antipyretic and analgesic drugs

Aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium, paracetamol, etc. should not be taken with alcohol. The metabolic process of alcohol in the body is that it is first oxidized to acetaldehyde, then oxidized to acetic acid, and finally metabolized to water and other substances and excreted from the body. This type of drug will hinder the oxidation process of acetaldehyde to acetic acid, aggravate the symptoms, and easily cause liver damage. In addition, aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has a damaging effect on the gastrointestinal tract. If taken with alcohol, the damage to the gastrointestinal tract may be aggravated, leading to adverse events such as gastric mucosal damage and gastric bleeding.

3. Sedatives and hypnotics

For example, diazepam, valium, phenobarbital, diazepam, etc. have certain respiratory and circulatory inhibitory effects. Alcohol has the same effect. Taking both at the same time will inhibit the respiratory and circulatory centers, causing slow breathing, low blood pressure, shock, and even respiratory arrest and death.

4. Antihypertensive drugs

Hypertension is a common disease in our lives. Many friends control their blood pressure by taking oral antihypertensive drugs. However, it should be noted that antihypertensive drugs cannot be taken with alcohol. Because alcohol has the effect of dilating blood vessels, if the two are taken together, it is easy to cause blood vessels to dilate and cause blood pressure to drop too much, leading to hypotension, and in severe cases shock, which is life-threatening. Some antihypertensive drugs may also cause a "rebound phenomenon" when taken together with alcohol, causing a sharp increase in blood pressure. Such drugs include compound antihypertensive tablets, compound dihydralazine, etc.

5. Antidiabetic drugs

Mixing hypoglycemic drugs and alcohol will cause lactic acid to accumulate in the blood, which will increase the risk of lactic acidosis. At the same time, alcohol can stimulate insulin secretion. If a patient drinks alcohol right after taking hypoglycemic drugs, the synergistic effect of the two may cause blood sugar to drop too low, leading to hypoglycemia.

6. We already know that alcohol has the effect of dilating blood vessels. Taking other vasodilator drugs such as isosorbide dinitrate and nitroglycerin with alcohol may cause excessive dilation of blood vessels, leading to severe headaches, a sudden drop in blood pressure and even shock.

After reading the above, you may feel confused. How can you remember so many medicines that cannot be taken with alcohol at the same time? In fact, in addition to the content in the article, there are many other medicines that cannot be taken with alcohol at the same time. Therefore, the simplest way is to not drink alcohol when you are sick! Don't drink alcohol when you take medicine! Wait until your body recovers before you can gather with friends and family.