What you may not know about drug interactions
Pharmacists, doctors and other specialists are careful not to prescribe patients medication that could interact negatively with other drugs they’re taking. However, it’s important for those taking medication to be aware that drug interactions aren’t limited to prescription drugs. Some seemingly benign over-the-counter (OTC) medications and natural health products can react negatively with prescription drugs. And the same goes for certain foods and drinks. OTC drugs Commonly used OTC medications like Aspirin, antacids and antihistamines can become problematic for those taking specific prescription drugs. For example, combining Aspirin with a prescription blood thinner can lead to excessive bleeding, mixing antacid tablets with antibiotics can interfere with the absorption of the prescription medication and taking antihistamines with a prescribed sedative can cause daytime drowsiness. St John’s wort St. John’s wort, a herbal supplement sometimes used to treat depression, can produce a dangerous group of symptoms known as serotonin syndrome when taken with fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Zoloft). In addition, St. John’s wort can block the contraceptive effects of birth control. Grapefruit juice As for food-drug interactions, grapefruit in particular is worthy of note. Grapefruit juice interacts negatively with a large number of drugs, including certain cholesterol-lowering drugs, anti-anxiety drugs and even some antihistamines. Generally, it allows more of the
drug to enter your blood, producing negative, and sometimes serious, side effects.
Averting drug interactions If you’re considering taking an over-the-counter medication or a natural health product, ask a pharmacist beforehand whether it might interact with the medications you’re taking. Doing so will help you avert unpleasant or possibly dangerous reactions.
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