{"id":12193,"date":"2025-06-05T10:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T15:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/medical\/?p=12193"},"modified":"2025-03-10T18:09:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T23:09:06","slug":"how-can-you-reduce-your-risk-of-adverse-medication-interactions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/medical\/how-can-you-reduce-your-risk-of-adverse-medication-interactions\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can You Reduce Your Risk of Adverse Medication Interactions?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Risk of Adverse Medication Interactions<\/span><\/p>\n

Drug or medication interactions occur when one drug interacts with another drug that you are taking or when your medications interact with what you eat or drink.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drug interactions can change the way your medications act in your body, making your medications less effective or causing unexpected and potentially dangerous side effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your risk of having a drug interaction increases with the number of medications you use, both prescription and over-the-counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, the type of medications you take, your age, diet, disease, and overall health can all affect your risk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Older adults are at greater risk for drug interactions than younger adults since a larger proportion of seniors take prescription medications or over-the-counter products. Here is a look at three important types of drug interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drug-Drug Interactions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Drug-drug interactions occur when two or more drugs interact with each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interactions can occur with prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and alternative medications such as supplements and herbal products. Some examples of drug-drug interactions include:<\/span><\/p>\n

Mixing a prescription sedative to help you sleep with an over-the-counter antihistamine for allergies can cause daytime drowsiness and make driving or operating machinery dangerous.<\/span><\/p>\n

Combining aspirin with a prescription blood thinner such as Plavix (clopidogrel) can cause excessive bleeding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some over-the-counter antacids interfere with the absorption of antibiotics into the bloodstream.<\/span><\/p>\n

Certain medications used to treat fungal infections can cause serious side effects when combined with cholesterol-lowering medications such as atorvastatin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some herbal supplements, such as Ginkgo biloba, can cause bleeding if taken with aspirin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drug-Food Interactions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Drug-food interactions occur when a drug interacts with something you eat or drink. Some examples of drug-food interactions include:<\/span><\/p>\n

Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, can interfere with the absorption of antibiotics into the bloodstream.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many prescription drugs are affected by grapefruit juice. <\/span><\/p>\n

Grapefruit juice inhibits an enzyme in the intestine that normally breaks down certain drugs and hence allows more of a medication to enter the bloodstream.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vegetables containing vitamin K, such as broccoli, kale, and spinach, can decrease the effectiveness of drugs, such as Coumadin (warfarin), given to prevent blood clotting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mixing alcohol with some drugs is particularly dangerous. Alcohol interacts with most antidepressants and with other drugs that affect the brain. The combination can cause fatigue, dizziness, and slow reactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol can increase your risk of stomach bleeding or liver damage when it is mixed with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs and medications used to treat pain and fever. These drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drug-Condition Interactions<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Drug-condition interactions may occur when a medication interacts with an existing health condition. Some examples of drug-condition interactions include:<\/span><\/p>\n

Decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine, found in many cough and cold medicines, can increase blood pressure and may be dangerous for people with hypertension.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beta-blockers, such as Toprol XL (metoprolol) and Tenormin (atenolol), are used to treat high blood pressure and certain types of heart disease, which can worsen the symptoms of asthma and COPD.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide, can increase blood sugar in people with diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prevention<\/span><\/p>\n

Before starting any new prescription drug or over-the-counter drug, talk to your primary healthcare provider or pharmacist. Make sure that they are aware of any vitamins or supplements that you take.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure to read the patient information handout given to you at the pharmacy. If you are not given an information sheet, ask your pharmacist for one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check the labels of your medications for any warnings and look for the \u201cDrug Interactions\u201d section. Read these warnings carefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make a list of all your prescription medications and over-the-counter products, including drugs, vitamins, and supplements.<\/span><\/p>\n

If possible, use one pharmacy for all your prescription medications and over-the-counter products. This way your pharmacist has a record of all your prescription drugs and can advise you about drug interactions and side effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finding Info About Drug Interactions for Medications<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for monitoring drug interactions and side effects and assuring that drugs sold in the United States are safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

The FDA website has useful information about drug safety issues.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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