Drugs and alcohol

[pinky 2]

In many medicines they advise the patient not to take with alcohol. What are the actual consequences of doing so? For example if you took some paracetemol for a headache what would be the consequence of drinking alcohol later that day?

[Pharmanaut]

Originally Posted by pinky 2

In many medicines they advise the patient not to take with alcohol. What are the actual consequences of doing so? For example if you took some paracetemol for a headache what would be the consequence of drinking alcohol later that day?

Most of the time it is the 'overload' on the liver where alcohol and lots of drugs are metabolised. Sometimes there are drug interactions, where the metabolic pathway for alcohol is blocked (metronidazole + alcohol). In other cases it is the additive CNS depressant effects. Sometimes its all of them!

Measuring alcohol consumption is peculiar. Cutting down for one person might mean having 5 pints instead of 10.

[skysoldier]

Indeed, I got a cousin who took a sleeping pills and then drunk alcohol and after a few hours his stomach aches and we rushed him in the hospital and the doctor said don't ever do that again!