Antibiotics and alcohol

When prescribing an antibacterial drug, the doctor informs the patient that it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol with antibiotics. Most people try to adhere to this recommendation, but if the course of treatment coincides with important events or holidays, it is tempting to break the ban.

The attitude of evidence-based medicine to this situation is controversial, since not a single complete study has been carried out, the results of which would allow to fully evaluate the negative consequences of the simultaneous use of alcohol and antibacterial drugs. This does not mean that you can combine them with peace of mind, no doctor in their right mind will recommend it. To understand how dangerous it is to drink alcohol during a course of antibiotic therapy, the article describes the consequences of the combined effects of these substances on the body, examples of a combination of known drugs and alcohol-containing drinks are given.

The effect of alcohol and antibiotics on the body.

The festivals in our country are traditionally celebrated with the use of spirits. Many people are unable to deny themselves this pleasure even during illness, forgetting that alcohol in small doses has a relaxing and calming effect, and in large doses leads to serious health problems. Among them:

• Liver dysfunction
• Excessive stress on the gastrointestinal tract.
• Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
• The death of brain cells.
• Chronic kidney and bladder diseases.
• Alteration of the nervous system.
• Severe hangover syndrome.
• Depressive state, nervous breakdown.

It is not worth drinking alcoholic beverages during illness. This will also stress the body, which is already working in emergency mode, fighting the disease.

Antibacterial drugs, introduced 90 years ago, quickly became a drug in demand and saved millions of lives. The principle of action of antibiotics is the ability to destroy pathogenic bacteria, destroying their structure; block reproduction, prevent the growth of pathogens, after which the immune system has a chance to cope with the disease on its own.

Antibacterial drugs act on a person in the most aggressive way possible, undermining the immune system's ability to fight disease independently. Its use is a forced necessity in the case of a bacterial infection, which the body cannot cope with alone. Only a professional doctor has the right to prescribe such drugs. It is categorically impossible to be treated on your own, especially with a viral origin of the disease, when antibacterial drugs are useless.

Antibiotics help avoid the serious consequences of the disease, but taking them causes a large number of side effects:

• Suppression of the natural microflora of the stomach.
• Suppression of immunity, the body cannot resist the causative agents of the disease.
• The liver cannot completely cleanse the body of toxins.

The well-being of a person worsens, lethargy appears, weakness, depression occurs, chronic diseases worsen.

It is not difficult to imagine what will happen to the unhappy organism when combining the course of antibiotic therapy with violent parties. The immune system, the kidneys, the liver and the organs of the gastrointestinal tract will have a double burden, which is extremely difficult to cope with. This can lead to a worsening of the current condition, and the disease will progress from the acute phase to the chronic phase, which is much more difficult to treat.

The effect of alcohol on the effect of antibacterial drugs.

Evidence-based medicine does not know of specific examples of weakening the effect of antibiotics in the context of the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Sometimes even the opposite situation occurs: the number of enzymes increases, and the breakdown of the drug occurs faster. But another scenario is also possible, when the drug is poorly excreted from the body, accumulates in the cells, and as a result, an adverse reaction occurs.

There are two curious theories that explain why the incompatibility between antibiotics and alcohol is considered a scientific fact. The first says that antibacterial drugs were originally used to treat sexually transmitted infections. Doctors considered the presence of such diseases as a sign of intemperance and weakness of character, and the prohibition of drinking alcohol became a kind of punishment.

The second theory emerged during World War II, when wounded soldiers needed penicillin. There was so little medicine that, according to legend, doctors tried to extract it from the urine. The problem was that the soldiers in their free time liked to drink beer, which has a diuretic effect and reduces the concentration of microorganisms. Therefore, alcoholic beverages were banned and, in medicine, the postulate that alcohol and antibiotics are incompatible gradually took hold.

There are several reasons for this claim. Doctors note that in patients who drank alcohol at the same time as antibacterial drugs, recovery was much slower than in those who led a sober lifestyle. The reason lies in the fact that the intake of alcohol with antibiotics is fraught with other negative consequences associated with the deterioration of the immune system. With the regular use of alcoholic beverages, it is impossible to establish the correct daily regimen with adequate rest and diet. At the same time, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients cannot be fully absorbed, and the body is gradually depleted. As a result, the patient's medication will be ineffective.

Compatibility of alcoholic beverages and antibiotics.

Modern antibiotics are mild. Its combination with alcohol, in most cases, does not have strong negative consequences for the body. Doctors identify a number of drugs that cannot be combined with strong drinks. The speed of its assimilation is associated with the work of the same enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of ethanol, the basis of alcoholic beverages. Enzymes cannot cope with a large amount of work, and as a result, the drug accumulates in the body. This has side effects that a person will soon feel on himself.

The interaction of antibiotics and alcohol leads to a long list of negative consequences:

• Severe migraine-like headaches.
• Nausea vomiting
• Dizziness, unconsciousness
• Fast heartbeat, arrhythmia.
• Fever, increased temperature.
• Intense sweating
• Insomnia.
• A state close to depression, irritability.
• Weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength.
• Inflammatory processes of the liver, jaundice.
• Stomach pains caused by gastritis and ulcers.

Disulfiram-like reaction

The most common and dangerous negative consequence is a reaction similar to disulfiram. This drug, used in the treatment of alcohol addiction, can affect the work of the enzymes that process ethyl alcohol. The metabolism consists of two stages:

1. Ethyl alcohol decomposes into acetaldehyde.
2. Acetic aldehyde is converted to acetic acid.

The incompleteness of the second stage leads to the strongest hangover syndrome. For lovers of alcoholic beverages who take the drug, the process of timely division of ethanol is interrupted, and if a dose of alcohol is added in the context of ingestion, the body will overflow with toxic substances. It is not possible to drink alcohol in a state of intoxication and the patient gets rid of the addiction.

The signs of a disulfiram-like reaction are similar to those of a severe hangover:

• Shaking chills.
• Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
• Nausea vomiting
• Seizures
• Allergic reactions.
• Headache.
• Respiratory insufficiency.

The latest manifestation of a disulfiram-like reaction is considered life-threatening due to the likelihood of death. When trying to mix antibiotics and an alcoholic beverage, the patient should be careful and closely monitor changes in her condition. The consequences can appear during a party or 4-5 hours later. In this situation, you should seek medical help immediately.

The effect of the co-administration of antibiotics and alcohol on the function of the liver and gastrointestinal tract.

The main reason for the ban on the joint intake of antibiotics and alcohol is the threat of toxic liver damage. Its enzymes cannot simultaneously assimilate the drug and ethanol. In this fight, alcohol often wins and the drug accumulates in liver cells, threatening serious intoxication.

During illness, the liver is engaged in cleansing the body of toxins and poisons, and alcohol increases the load many times over. People who are used to mixing drugs and alcoholic beverages are more likely to develop fibrotic tissue changes and liver failure.

Drinking alcohol while taking antibiotic therapy can adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract. When ethyl enters the stomach, it causes congestion and vasodilation, which facilitates the absorption of alcohol. If, after a short period of time, an antibacterial drug enters the gastrointestinal tract, the drug will not be fully absorbed and the effect of the treatment will be reduced to zero.

Antibiotics can adversely affect the intestinal microflora. Patients taking these medications often complain of abdominal pain, problems with stool, constipation, or diarrhea. To restore the balance of the microflora after a course of antibiotics, prebiotics and probiotics are often prescribed. If you drink alcoholic beverages at this time, you can win chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, gastritis or stomach ulcers.

Possibility of an allergic reaction.

The composition of alcoholic beverages, in addition to ethyl alcohol, contains additives, colorants, flavorings, preservatives. The end result of your interaction with antibiotics is unpredictable. A potential danger is the development of a mild or severe allergic reaction. At best, itching, red skin, sneezing, and at worst shortness of breath, Quincke's edema, and death will appear. If a person noticed such symptoms, then it is necessary to urgently take an antihistamine, and if there are serious consequences, immediately call an ambulance.

Before taking medications, patients should carefully read the instructions, checking how safe the combination of the active ingredients and ethanol is.

Combination of alcohol with known groups of antibacterial drugs.

A reaction similar to disulfiram is life threatening. Based on studies, scientists have discovered which medications are most likely to cause it and which are considered relatively safe when combined with alcohol.

Alcohol and nitroimidazoles

Nitroimidazoles are considered broad-spectrum antibiotics and are used to treat the following conditions:

• central nervous system infections (meningitis, brain abscess);
• intestinal infections;
• respiratory diseases (pneumonia, lung abscess);
• infections of the oral cavity;
• skin diseases of various etymologies;
• prevention of infections during surgery.

Medicines in this group should not be combined with alcohol! Although not everything is so simple. Studies from 2003 did not reveal the negative effects of drinking hard liquor while using medications. However, doctors are confident that the consequences of combining them can be as follows:

• sharp pain in the abdomen;
• nausea vomiting;
• severe headaches;
• shaking chills;
• violation of the rhythm of the heart;
• in rare severe cases, respiratory failure develops.

Women should pay attention to the fact that a similar reaction to disulfiram is possible not only with oral administration and injection of the drug, but also with the use of vaginal cream.

Alcohol and cephalosporins

Cephalosporins are a broad spectrum group of drugs with a strong bactericidal effect. They are considered the main "destroyers" of streptococci and staph and treat the following diseases:

• upper respiratory tract infections;
• diseases of the nose, throat, ears;
• skin infections, soft tissues.

Cephalosporins are often prescribed for purulent sore throats, one of the most common infections in our country.

All cephalosporins, like nitroimidazoles, are capable of causing a reaction similar to disulfiram. Its main symptoms: nausea, headache, abdomen, are caused by intoxication of the body. The possibility of a disulfiram-like reaction must be taken seriously, because the consequences can be serious, even fatal.

There are drugs that do not belong to the two groups listed above, that is, their interaction with alcohol does not lead to a reaction similar to disulfiram, but it also has negative consequences.

Antibiotics that are relatively safe to drink alcohol with

Various antibacterial drugs have been successfully tested for compatibility with alcohol, and their combination is safe for the body.

• Penicillin antibiotics.
• Expectorants and mucolytics, which are prescribed for diseases of the lungs, to thin the viscous phlegm.
• Antifungal medications.

The above medications can be taken with alcohol, but this does not mean that they can be safely taken with strong drinks! The best option for the development of events while taking antibiotics is a total refusal to drink alcohol.

How To Correctly Combine Alcohol And Antibiotics: Safety Precautions

The best option for the development of events when treating a patient with antibiotics is to refuse alcoholic beverages while taking medication. In exceptional cases, when you cannot do without drinking, the following safety rules must be observed:

• Ask your doctor if mixing alcohol with medications is allowed, and consider giving up strong drinks.
• The minimum time interval between taking an antibiotic and drinking alcohol is 4 hours. A shorter period is fraught with major health problems.
• The amount to be drunk depends on sex, weight, severity of the current disease, the concentration of the drink and should not exceed 300-350 ml.
• Ethanol is present not only in strong drinks (vodka, cognac, whiskey), but also in low-alcohol drinks (wine, champagne, beer). Even if the alcohol content here is several times lower, drinking will still be harmful to health.

In patients undergoing antibiotic therapy, the question arises: how long after the course is it allowed to drink alcoholic beverages? The treating doctor can give the exact answer, and it depends on several factors: sex, age of the person, nature of the disease, health, drug. Most drugs have a cumulative effect and continue to act in the body after taking it. Medical professionals recommend starting to drink alcohol no earlier than 5 days after the end of treatment.

Three rules when taking antibacterial drugs:

1. Antibacterial drugs are produced and prescribed in different dosage forms: tablets, syrups, intravenous and intramuscular injections, eye drops, ointments, vaginal suppositories, solutions for inhalation. Any form of drug can cause adverse reactions.
2. Ethanol, which is found in the composition of alcoholic beverages, is harmful to human health. It is present not only in cognac, wine and beer, but also in cough syrups, tinctures of medicinal plants (licorice, marshmallow, echinacea, eleutherococcus). It is necessary to study the composition of drugs that are taken simultaneously with antibiotics.
3. Read the instructions on the medicine carefully to find out how compatible it is with alcohol. If the instructions say that no research has been done on this topic or there is no information, you should stop drinking alcoholic beverages during the course of treatment.

Antibacterial drugs carry an unnecessary burden on the body and are prescribed in case of serious diseases. The doctor can only prescribe a certain drug, everything else depends on the patient, who, first of all, should think about a speedy recovery. A sick person should take the prescribed drugs in a timely manner, sleep at least 7-8 hours a day, eat foods high in vitamins and microelements. It is better to forget about drinking alcohol during this period. This is especially true for people with chronic heart, liver, and kidney disease. Otherwise, the negative consequences will not be forced to reap. Can be:

• Central nervous system failure and gradual death of brain cells.
• Intoxication of the body, the symptoms of which are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
• Kidney damage, problems with the urinary system.
• Violation of the rhythm of the heart.
• Gastritis, stomach ulcers.
• Violation of the intestinal microflora.
• Damage to the liver leading to gradual cell death.
• Decreased immunity, the body will not be able to fight infections on its own.
• Cardiopalmus.
• Sudden increases in blood pressure are dangerous for hypertensive patients.
• Stool disorder in the form of constipation or diarrhea.
• Weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength.
• Depressive state, nervous breakdowns.
• Irritability, insomnia.
• Decreased intellectual abilities, memory impairment, concentration of attention.
• Fever and chills
• Severe headaches
• Seizures
• Allergic reactions in the form of itching, rashes and redness of the skin.
• Shortness of breath and Quincke's edema - Without timely medical attention, it ends in death.
• The effect of the treatment is minimal or null.
• The disease can become chronic, reducing the quality of life of the patient.

Alcohol in small doses will complement the holidays and help you relax. But its use during illness will not bring any pleasure and can harm the body. This is the main thing that a person should remember when deciding for himself whether it is worth mixing alcohol and antibiotics.