Preventing Food and Drug Interactions

1. Preventing Food and Drug Interactions The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

2. Food can affect drug absorption Food can interfere with how a drug works A drug may affect food absorption or how vitamins or minerals are used by the body A drug can affect appetite Possible Drug-Food Interactions

3. Mix Food, Drink and Drugs Carefully • Ask doctor questions • Talk to pharmacist • Read medicine labels • Read printed material from pharmacy • Read inserts provided by manufacturers

4. The Responsibility is Yours! • Tell your doctor and pharmacist about ALL your drugs • Take all your drugs to each doctor’s appointment and review

5. In General Take pills and capsules with a large glass of water

6. Know Whether the Drug Should Be Taken on a Full or Empty Stomach

7. Don’t mix a drug directly into a food or drink

8. Take NO Medicines with Alcohol !

9. A New Concern - Grapefruit • Can cause more of a drug to be absorbed from intestine – even toxic levels • May cause a drug not to work • Also avoid tangelos

10. Pain Medicine • Don’t take with alcohol to prevent stomach bleeding and irritation • Don’t have more than 3 drinks per day to prevent liver damage if taking Tylenol

11. High Blood Pressure Medicine • May need more or less potassium in your diet depending on the medicine • Examples of high potassium foods – bananas, oranges, potatoes, leafy green vegetables, tomatoes Always Ask!

12. Can lower blood pressure too much with beta blockers and nitrate containing drugs Can cause liver damage with statin drugs Beta blocker – Inderal, Lopressor Nitrates – Nitro, Transderm Nitro, Isordil Statins – Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor, Prevachol Alcohol and Other Medicines for the Heart

13. Coumadin and Vitamin K • Keep intake of foods containing Vitamin K constant • Vitamin K is high in spinach, kale, turnip greens, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts and other leafy greens • Also don’t take Vitamin K or E supplements

14. Flagyl or Nizoral • No alcohol including medicines containing alcohol while taking the medicine and for 3 days after stopping • Side effect – nausea, flushing, stomach cramps, vomiting, headaches

15. No Dairy Foods • Tetracycline - also no iron supplements • Antifungal medicines • Examples Diflucan and Nizoral

16. Medicines for Depression and Anxiety • Never mix with alcohol with any of these drugs! • Also caffeine may decrease the effectiveness of anti-anxiety drugs

17. MOA Inhibitors • Common brands – Nardil and Parnate • Must restrict some foods containing tyramine to prevent possible fatal rise in blood pressure

18. MOA Inhibitors • No beer, red wine or other alcohol • No cheddar, American, bleu, brie, Parmesan or mozzarella cheese • No beef or chicken liver, cured meats, game meat, caviar or dried fish

19. No avocados, bananas, soy sauce, miso soup, sauerkraut No ginseng, broad or fava beans or food or beverages containing caffeine like coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, tea MOA Inhibitors

20. Stomach Medicines • Examples – Zantac, Tagamet, Pepcid, AXID • Alcohol and caffeine may irritate stomach

21. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all your medicines Take your medicines to every doctor visit Learn all you can about your drugs Use alcohol and caffeine very cautiously if at all Drink plenty of water In Summary