Drug Interactions: the Dangers of Mixing Up Medicines
Posted by in Uncategorized on August 14, 2011
Health is wealth. This is why it is important for people take better care of their physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Nowadays, there are more ways than ever to learn about what is good for one’s health. The mass media, as well as the internet, provide relevant information about health issues such as drug interactions.
Types of Drug Interactions
There are people with medical conditions who take more than one medicine at a time. Some people see more than one doctor for different reasons. Still, even with the subtantiated proof on the efficacy of Western medicine, many still choose to take herbal supplements for health maintenance. It is to the patient’s advantage as well as the doctors to be aware of all the medicines and supplements that are being taken in order to avoid possible negative effects of drug interactions. Below are 3 classifications of drug interactions.
1. Drug-Drug Interactions – is experienced when two or more medicines react with each other resulting in unwelcomed side effects. Taking a sedative or sleeping pill together with anti- allergy drug or antihistamine can slow down one’s reactions making car driving or operating machineries too risky.
2. Drug-Food/Beverage Interactions – occur when drugs react with foods or beverages. For example, mixing alcohol with some drugs may cause a feeling of fatigue or slow your reactions.
3. Drug-Condition Interactions – may happen when an existing medical condition makes certain drugs potentially harmful. An example of this is when someone has high blood pressure, there could be an experience of adverse reaction if you take a nasal decongestant.
Effects of Drug Interactions
The effects of drug interactions may be as mild as making your drug less effective, or it can cause unexpected side effects such as allergies, palpitations or dizziness. It can also increase the action of a particular drug which can be detrimental to the health condition of the patient. As safety precaution, it is important that one should read the label of non-prescription or prescription drugs and should learn about drug interactions which may be critical to your health and can reduce the risk of potentially harmful interactions and its side effects.
Herbal Remedies
There is a growing number of alternative therapies such as herbal products and other supplements that are currently enjoying widespread acceptance in the United States. However, users seldom inform their physicians about it. People should be aware that these herbal products are not tested with the scientific rigor required of conventional drugs, and they are not subject to the approval process of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hence, herbal products are not supposed to be marketed for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. However, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 enables these products to include in the labels statements about their alleged effects on the human body such as alleviation of fatigue or how they can help in promoting the general well-being of a person such as mood enhancement. These declared effects of herbal products have been analyzed and are proven to resemble claims of clinical efficacy for various diseases and conditions.
Morever, unlike conventional drugs, herbal products are not being regulated for purity and potency. This is the reason why some of the adverse effects and drug interactions reported for herbal products are attributed to such impurities such as allergens, pollen and spores. In addition, the more potent the herbal product is, the greater the possibility of its adverse effects.
Over-The-Counter Drugs
Over-the-counter medicine labels usually contain about ingredients, uses, warnings and directions that is important to read and understand including vital information about possible drug interactions. In addition, drug labels may change as recent developments about the drug are discovered. That is why it is of great significance that labels are read every time you use a drug.
Safety Precautions
Consult with your health care professionals about the medicines and supplements you take. Everytime your physician would give a new prescription, be sure to discuss all OTC and prescription drugs, dietary supplements, vitamins, botanicals, minerals and herbal supplements you take icluding the food that you eat. See to it that whenever you buy medicines from the pharmacy, the package insert for each prescription drug is included for it will provide you with more information about potential drug interactions.
Free Drug Interaction Checker Available open source ,Avoid dangerous Drug Interactions
Posted by in Uncategorized on August 14, 2011
Patients with acute renal failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD) or those treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation are frequently prescribed numerous medications. Drugs of many therapeutic classes are used to treat the underlying diseases leading to CKD, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, while others are used to control or treat the common complications of CKD, such as anemia, renal bone disease and lipid disorders. Dialysis patients often are prescribed 10 to 12 medications. With such a large number of medications, there is an increased risk for drug interactions. The accompanying table has been prepared as a reference regarding the most clinically significant drug interactions that might occur, together with an indication of the possible consequence. This table should be used as a general guideline. Sometimes information is known about one specific drug within a certain drug class, while additional information is not known about other agents within the same therapeutic category. Clinicians must be aware of this possibility and use their best judgment when prescribing or assessing drug therapy.
See More details and Interaction table in pdf Prepared By Nephrology Pharmacy Associates
List of Top Ten Drug Interactions in Long-Term Care
Medications chosen for the Top Ten list were based on their frequency of use in older adults in the long-term care setting, and on the potential for adverse consequences if used together. Due to individual variability, not every older adult who takes these medications together will experience an adverse reaction. However, these combinations have the potential to produce harmful effects.
The purpose of this Top Ten list is to alert the interdisciplinary team to the possibility that a negative interaction may occur, so that steps may be taken to choose alternative medications, adjust doses, monitor the patient carefully, or take other such actions as may be appropriate.
1. Warfarin — NSAIDs*
2. Warfarin — Sulfa drugs
3. Warfarin — Macrolides
4. Warfarin — Quinolones**
5. Warfarin — Phenytoin
6. ACE inhibitors — Potassium supplements
7. ACE inhibitors — Spironolactone
8. Digoxin — Amiodarone
9. Digoxin — Verapamil
10. Theophylline — Quinolones
Alcohol and Medicine: When Drugs Interact
Posted by in Uncategorized on August 13, 2011
We’ve all seen the warnings; the labels on prescription bottles telling us not to mix the pills with alcohol. The warnings tell us that alcohol may blunt or enhance or nullify the effect of the prescribed drugs.
But what’s so bad about mixing alcohol with common medications? What, really, can go wrong? “Nausea and vomiting, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, or loss of coordination,” according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). “It can also put you at risk for internal bleeding, heart problems, and difficulties breathing. In addition to these dangers, alcohol can make a medication less effective or even useless, or it may make the medication harmful or toxic to your body.”
The NIAAA reminds consumers that certain medicines, such as cough syrup and laxatives, may contain up to 10 per cent alcohol to begin with. Moreover, older people are at particular risk, since the body breaks down alcohol more slowly with age. Woman are also at high risk for drug/alcohol interactions, since blood–alcohol levels are typically higher in women than in men after consuming the same amount of alcohol.
Finally, the NIAAA advises, “Timing is important. Alcohol and medicines can interact harmfully even if they are not taken at the same time.”
Herewith, a partial listing of drug/alcohol reactions to watch out for, taken from the NIAAA’s publication, “Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol with Medicines.”
Possible reactions with alcohol:
–Angina: Isordil, Nitroglycerin. Rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting.
–Anxiety and Epilepsy: Librium, Valium, Xanax, etc. Increased risk of overdose, difficulty breathing, impaired motor control, memory problems.
–Blood clots: Coumadin (Warfarin). Internal bleeding, strokes, heart attacks.
–Depression: Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, etc. Drowsiness, dizziness, increased risk of overdose.
–Diabetes: Glucophage, Orinase, etc. Abnormally low blood sugar, flushing reaction, nausea, vomiting.
–Arthritis: Celebrex, Naprosyn, Voltaren. Ulcers, stomach bleeding, liver problems.
–High blood pressure: Catapres, Cardura, Lopressor, etc. Dizziness, fainting, arrhythmia.
–High cholesterol: Crestor, Lipitor, Pravachol, etc. Liver damage.
–Infections: Acrodantin, Flagyl, Grisactin, Nizoral, Nydrazid, Seromycin, Tindamax: Rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, vomiting, flushing.
–Severe pain: Demerol, Percocet, Vicodin, etc. Drowsiness, dizziness, increased risk of overdose, difficulty breathing, impaired motor control.
–Sleep problems: Ambien, Lunesta, Sominex, etc. Dizziness, difficulty breathing, impaired motor control, memory problems.
–Enlarged prostate: Cardura, Flomax, etc. Dizziness, fainting.
And don’t forget the herbals: Alcohol with Kava Kava may cause liver damage; alcohol with St. John’s Wort risks dizziness and overdose. Chamomile, valerian and lavender will increase drowsiness when mixed with alcohol.