Antibiotic Medications and Alcohol Interactions

So, it shouldn’t directly hinder the impact of the antibiotic. Although the risks of consuming alcohol may be lower with some types of antibiotics than others, it is still advisable to avoid alcohol intake while taking any antibiotics. You should definitely avoid alcohol while you are taking specific types of antibiotics.

Isoniazid was found to alter central monoaminergic neurotransmission (111). Although aldehyde dehydrogenase was inhibited with coadministration, blood acetaldehyde levels were not increased. Linezolid is a weak, nonspecific inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes (81). Studies have shown positive pressor responses in comparison with placebo with tyramine administration (81, 82). One patient developed heart block after taking linezolid and 7 mg of tyramine (81, 82). Per prescribing information, large quantities of beverages with a high tyramine content, including red wine and tap beers, should be avoided and limited to less than 100 mg of tyramine daily (83).

Multiple authors reported no disulfiram-like reactions (48, 52–54, 56, 57, 59, 61). Two authors observed higher rates of side effects in patients treated with metronidazole than with placebo (64, 65). Other authors described different degrees of reactions attributed to a disulfiram-like effect within the study populations (50, 58, 60, 62, 66). For example, patients often ask about interactions between alcohol and amoxicillin, a commonly used antibiotic. While there is not a specific interaction that will lower amoxicillin’s effectiveness, in general, you should avoid drinking alcohol if you are sick and being treated for an infection.

1. May occur with some other cephalosporin antibiotics, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
2. Trimethoprim, also commonly found in trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim DS, Septra DS) is an antibiotic that may be used for urinary tract infections (UTIs) or many other bacterial infections.
3. Also, if you are very unwell, it makes sense to completely avoid alcohol for the time being.
4. Mixing antibiotics and alcohol can make these side effects worse.

A person should speak with a healthcare professional if they have concerns about alcohol consumption and antibiotics. An occasional drink with fluoroquinolone can be safe, but regularly drinking alcohol may cause central nervous system side effects. People should avoid red wine and tap beers when taking linezolid. They should also avoid other foods that contain tyramine, such as strong cheeses and smoked meats. Doctors use oxazolidinones to treat abdominal, skin, lung, and urinary tract infections. It is not safe to mix some types of antibiotics, such as tetracyclines and nitroimidazoles, with alcohol.

Effects of alcohol on healing from an infection

There were no differences in the rate of elimination of amoxicillin. However, some antibiotics can have side effects such as feeling sick or dizzy, which might be made worse by drinking alcohol. Amoxicillin may also interact with medications like blood thinners and birth control pills as well as conditions like kidney issues and mono. In general, it’s always best to speak with a doctor about any potential interactions. Although amoxicillin doesn’t directly interact with alcohol, combining the two can worsen the gastrointestinal side effects of the drug.

Health Challenges

A surveillance study of 13,838 patients on isoniazid by 21 health departments found that consuming at least one drink daily appeared to increase the risk of developing hepatitis (105). Probable isoniazid-induced hepatitis was twice as common in alcoholics than in nondrinkers and four times more likely if they consumed alcohol daily (105). Conversely, a smaller retrospective study of patients on isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide found that alcohol intake did not significantly impact hepatotoxicity (103). Furthermore, alcohol can alcohol storage ideas cause hepatic stress or injury with or without the use of potentially hepatotoxic medications.

Following a healthcare provider’s advice is important to determine what is safe for you. Also, the antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox) interacts with some alcoholic drinks, including red wine and tap beer. Drinking these with this medicine can cause a harmful rise in blood pressure. If you need to avoid alcohol, be sure you check all of your food and medicine labels to be sure they don’t contain alcohol. It is important to tell your doctor about all the medications you use, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and herbs.

Can you mix antibiotics and alcohol?

Sometimes that’s because studies have shown that wasn’t the case. Other times, it just means that scientists haven’t directly studied the answer to that in a specific antibiotic. Not all antibiotics result in a serious interaction with alcohol. The types of drugs in this class of broad-spectrum antibiotics are tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, and tigecycline.

Possible side effects

For example, you should probably avoid using alcohol while taking the antifungals Nizoral (ketoconazole) or Gris-PEG (griseofulvin), due to risk of liver problems. However, some other antifungals, such as Diflucan (fluconazole), might be able to be used more safely with alcohol. Another antibiotic, Zyvox (linezolid) can cause very elevated blood pressure in some people when combined with some kinds of alcohol. Risks are greater for people with underlying blood pressure problems who consume a lot of alcohol.