The Risks of Combining Antibiotics and Alcoholic Drinks: What You Need to Know

Many patients follow their doctor’s prescribed antibiotics regimen and are concerned about the potential risks of combining these medications with alcoholic drinks.

Understanding the Risks

Dr. Alexander Myasnikov highlights that the strict prohibition on combining antibiotics and alcoholic beverages may be somewhat exaggerated. However, it is crucial to understand that there are two categories of antibiotics that should never be taken with alcohol. These categories include cephalosporins such as ceftriaxone and ceftazidime (which may be known by others common names) as well as metronidazole, which is commonly used to treat sexually transmitted diseases and in dentistry. It is important to note that the chemical structure of metronidazole is similar to that of Disulfiram, a drug used for alcohol addiction treatment. Taking metronidazole and alcohol together can result in uncontrollable vomiting, similar to the effects of combining Disulfiram and alcohol.

“If a patient consumes alcohol while taking metronidazole, they will likely spend the night dealing with unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. The same interaction occurs with cephalosporins,” Dr. Myasnikov warns.

Considerations for Patients

According to Dr. Myasnikov, other antibiotics do not typically cause such severe side effects when combined with alcohol. However, it is essential for patients to understand that being prescribed antibiotics indicates their poor health condition. In such cases, it is crucial to ask oneself whether consuming alcoholic beverages would further deteriorate the patient’s health.

Overall, it is recommended to adhere to the general rule of avoiding all forms of alcoholic beverages when taking antibiotics in order to prevent any potential worsening of the health condition.

Source: Vesti.ru

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