Accurate, balanced evidence-based information about medicines
Mixing alcohol and medicines Mixing alcohol and medicines
Some medicines interact with alcohol. In general, women and older people are more likely to experience such interactions, because they are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
For most medicines that interact with alcohol, you don't
have to avoid alcohol completely.
It takes at least several hours for alcohol to be removed from the body. Therefore, interactions don't occur only when you consume medicines and alcohol at the same time. Rather, they can occur at any time that you have a significant amount of alcohol in your body.
For most medicines that interact with alcohol, you don't have to avoid alcohol completely. Rather, you need to listen to the advice of your doctor or pharmacist and limit your alcohol intake accordingly.
Sleeping, anti-anxiety and anti-depression medicines
Alcohol can increase the effects of medicines that relax or sedate the body, such as sleeping tablets, anti-anxiety medicines and anti-depressant medicines. The increased drowsiness and dizziness may make it harder for you to think clearly, and affect your physical coordination. This, in turn, may make you more prone to falling and impair your ability to do things like driving a car.
Cough, cold, allergy and travel sickness medicines
Many cold, cough, allergy and travel sickness medicines bought from pharmacies contain ingredients that relax or sedate the body. These ingredients may interact with alcohol to cause increased drowsiness and dizziness.
Painkillers
Some common painkillers, such as aspirin (Disprin), celecoxib (Celebrex), ibuprofen (Nurofen) and naproxen (Naprosyn), can interact with alcohol to cause stomach upsets, stomach bleeding and ulcers.
In general, the occasional drink or two is unlikely to cause problems, but regular, heavy drinking may increase your risk of stomach problems.
If you are unsure about drinking alcohol while taking a
medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Opioid painkillers, such as morphine (MS Contin) and oxycodone (Oxycontin), can cause drowsiness, and may interact with alcohol to cause increased drowsiness and greater sensitivity to alcohol.
Preventing problems
If you are unsure about drinking alcohol while taking a medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice, or read the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet for the medicine.
Check the label. Prescription medicines that interact with alcohol usually have an extra sticker on the label. The sticker will warn you of the possibility of an interaction and tell you what to do if affected, or it will tell you to avoid alcohol completely. Medicines bought from a pharmacy should have a warning on the packaging and label.
Take care. Remember, it may take less alcohol than usual to affect your ability to drive safely.
The information in MedicinesTalk is not medical advice, so seek professional help before making any decisions based on this information.
This article was accurate and up-to-date when it was published. The evidence or context for this article might have changed since then.
MedicinesTalk is a free quarterly newsletter for consumers written by consumers about using medicines wisely. Subscribe to the hard copy version using our online ordering system, or write to MedicinesTalk, National Prescribing Service Limited, PO Box 1147, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012.
