He noted that drinking alcohol while on medication will alter the potency of the drugs and even worsen their side effects.
Adekola stated that most patients do not consider the possibility of alcohol interacting with medications, warning that such interaction could even result in the damage of vital organs of metabolism such as the liver and the kidneys.
According to the pharmacist, combining alcohol with drugs will either nullify the effects of the drugs or over increase the effects of the drugs.
Adekola who spoke in an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise on how alcohol affects medicines said anyone on medication should avoid alcohol consumption, especially those battling non-communicable diseases.
He explained, “We know that some of the chronic diseases have alcohol intake as one of the predisposing factors, for example, hypertension.
“One of the predisposing factors for hypertension is alcoholism. It is the same with kidney disease, diabetes, and liver disease. If a patient is being treated for any of these diseases, he or she should know that alcohol is a culprit.
“In terms of interaction, there are different forms of interaction of alcohol with medications. It’s either perhaps the alcohol reduces the effects of the drugs or in some cases increases the effects of the drugs.”
Dr. Adekola pointed out that it had been established by literature that there are drugs that alcohol will potentiate.
“So, there are certain drugs that alcohol will directly affect. In such cases, what patients attribute to are side effects and complications. There are some drugs that alcohol will act as an antagonist. In that case, alcohol will reduce their activity and negate the action of that drug.
“Once they block the action of those drugs, what you will see is a therapeutic failure. What that means is that you use the drugs and there is no positive action,” he said.
The pharmacist stressed that many complications are associated with drug and alcohol interaction.
He also urged Nigerians to stop patronising quacks who cannot share knowledge about the rational use of drugs.
“There is end-organ damage in alcohol and drug interaction; the liver or kidney can be a victim and there are complications. If you take paracetamol and you take alcohol like one hour later, you are in trouble. Alcohol potentiates drugs. When you are on medication, you are not supposed to be on any alcohol and no patients with chronic disease should be on alcohol,” he added.
Dr. Adekola called for pharmaceutical care in Nigeria to sensitise the public on the rational use of drugs while advising Nigerians to live healthily and avoid alcoholism.
According to The US Pharmacist, a clinically-focused monthly pharmacy publication by United States pharmacists, most patients do not consider alcohol as a drug capable of interacting with medications.
The Pharmacist stated that alcohol had been reported as a risk factor for adverse drug-related hospital admissions.
“Alcohol intake can alter the pharmacokinetics of medications, including their absorption and metabolism. Conversely, alcohol pharmacokinetics can also be altered by medications.
“Examples of pharmacodynamic interactions involving alcohol and medications are an increased risk of adverse drug events or increased susceptibility to the medications’ effects.
Furthermore, alcohol intake can play a negative role in certain disease states such as diabetes mellitus,
Source: HealthWise
