Antibiotics and alcohol

When prescribing antibacterial drugs, doctors tell patients that it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol with antibiotics. Most people try to comply with this recommendation, but if the course of treatment coincides with an important event or holiday, it is tempting to violate the ban.

The evidence -based medical attitude towards this situation is controversial, as no one full study has been conducted, the results of which will allow to fully assess the negative consequences of the use of alcohol and antibacterial drugs simultaneously. This does not mean you can combine it with peace of mind, no sane doctor would recommend this. 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 combinations of known drugs and beverages containing alcohol are given.

Effects of alcohol and antibiotics on the body

Holidays in our country are traditionally celebrated using spirits. Many people can not deny themselves this pleasure even during illness, forgetting that alcohol in small doses has a calming and soothing effect, and in large doses it leads to serious health problems. Among them:

• Liver dysfunction.
• Excessive pressure on the gastrointestinal tract.
• The heart rate increases.
• Death of brain cells.
• Chronic kidney and bladder disease.
• Nervous system disorders.
• Severe hangover syndrome.
• Depression, nerve damage.

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

Antibacterial drugs, introduced 90 years ago, are quickly becoming drugs in demand and saving millions of lives. The principle of action of antibiotics is the ability to destroy pathogenic bacteria, destroying its structure; inhibits reproduction, prevents the growth of pathogens, after which the immune system is given a chance to overcome the disease itself.

Antibacterial drugs act on a person as aggressively as possible, affecting the ability of the immune system to fight disease independently. Its use is a forced necessity in case of bacterial infections, which the body cannot cope with on its own. Only a professional doctor has the right to prescribe the drug. It is impossible to treat on its own, especially with the viral origin of the disease, when antibacterial drugs are useless.

Antibiotics help prevent the consequences of severe illness, but taking them leads to a large number of side effects:

• Suppression of the natural microflora of the stomach.
• Suppression of immunity, the body can not withstand the causative agent of the disease.
• The liver cannot cleanse the body of toxins completely.

A person’s well -being worsens, lethargy, weakness appears, depression occurs, chronic illness worsens.

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

Effect of alcohol on the effect of antibacterial drugs

Evidence -based medicine does not know of specific examples of the weakness of the effect of antibiotics against the background of the use of alcoholic beverages. Sometimes the opposite situation also occurs: the number of enzymes increases, and the breakdown of the drug occurs faster. But other scenarios are also possible, when the drug is poorly removed from the body, accumulates in the cells and as a result, adverse reactions occur.

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 regard the presence of such diseases as a sign of impatience and weakness of character, and the prohibition of drinking alcohol becomes a kind of punishment.

The second theory emerged during World War II, when wounded soldiers needed penicillin. There are so few drugs that, according to legend, doctors try to remove them from the urine. The problem is that soldiers in their spare time like to drink beer, which has a diuretic effect and reduces the concentration of microorganisms. Thus, alcoholic beverages have been banned, and in medicine, the proposition that alcohol and antibiotics are incompatible has gradually taken root.

There are several reasons for this statement. Doctors note that in patients who drank alcohol at the same time as antibacterial medications, recovery was slower than in those who led a quiet 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 regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, it is impossible to establish a proper daily regimen with proper rest and diet. At the same time, vitamins, minerals and nutrients cannot be fully absorbed and the body is depleted. As a result, the patient's medication will become ineffective.

Compatibility of alcoholic beverages and antibiotics

Modern antibiotics are gentle. Their combination with alcohol, in most cases, has no strong negative consequences for the body. Doctors identify some medications that should not be combined with alcohol. Their rate of assimilation is associated with the work of the same enzymes responsible for the breakdown of ethanol - the basis of alcoholic beverages. Enzymes are unable to cope with a large amount of work, and as a result, drugs accumulate in the body. This brings side effects that will soon be felt by a person on himself.

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

• Severe headaches such as migraines.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Dizziness, loss of consciousness.
• Rapid heartbeat, arrhythmias.
• Fever, increased temperature.
• Heavy sweating.
• Insomnia.
• A condition close to depression, irritability.
• Weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength.
• Inflammatory process of the liver, jaundice.
• Abdominal pain caused by gastritis and ulcers.

Disulfiram -like reactions

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

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

Second -degree incompleteness leads to the strongest intoxication syndrome. For lovers of alcoholic beverages who take drugs, the process of timely separation of ethanol is disrupted, and if the dose of alcohol is added against the background of intake, the body will be overflowing with toxic substances. Drinking alcohol in a state of intoxication is not possible, and the patient gets rid of the addiction.

The symptoms of a disulfiram-like reaction are similar to the symptoms of severe intoxication:

• shivering.
• The heart rate increases.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Convulsions.
• Allergic reactions.
• Headache.
• Respiratory failure.

The last manifestation of a disulfiram -like reaction is considered life -threatening because of the possibility of death. When trying to mix antibiotics and alcoholic beverages, the patient should be careful, carefully monitoring changes in his condition. The consequences can appear during the feast or 4-5 hours afterwards. In this situation, you must immediately seek medical help.

Effects of co -administration of antibiotics and alcohol on liver and gastrointestinal tract function

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

During illness, the liver is involved in cleansing the body of toxins and poisons, and alcohol increases the load many times over. People who are accustomed to mixing medications and spirits are more likely to experience fibrotic tissue changes and liver failure.

Drinking alcohol while taking antibiotic therapy can affect the gastrointestinal tract. When ethyl enters the stomach, it causes congestion and vasodilation, making it easier for alcohol to be absorbed. If, after a short period, the 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 negatively affect the intestinal microflora. Patients taking this medication often complain of abdominal pain, stool problems, constipation, or diarrhea. To restore the balance of the microflora after a course of antibiotics, prebiotics and probiotics are often prescribed. If you drink alcohol at this time, you can get chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, gastritis or stomach ulcers.

Possible allergic reactions

The composition of alcoholic beverages, in addition to ethyl alcohol, contains additives, dyes, flavorings, preservatives. The end result of their interaction with antibiotics is unpredictable. The potential danger is the occurrence of allergic reactions in mild or severe form. At best, itching, redness of the skin, sneezing will appear, and at worst, shortness of breath, Quincke’s edema and death. If a person notices such symptoms, then it is necessary to immediately take antihistamines, and if there are serious consequences, immediately call an ambulance.

Before taking the drug, the patient must carefully read the instructions, checking how safe the combination of active ingredients and ethanol.

Combination of alcohol with a group of known antibacterial drugs

Disulfiram -like reactions are life -threatening. Based on the studies conducted, scientists have figured out which drugs are more 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 in the treatment of the following conditions:

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

Drugs of this group should not be combined with alcohol! Although, everything is not so easy. A study in 2003 did not reveal the negative effects of drinking alcohol while using medications. However, doctors are convinced that the consequences of combining them can be as follows:

• sharp pain in the abdomen;
• nausea vomiting;
• severe headache;
• shivering;
• heart rhythm violations;
• in rare severe cases, respiratory failure develops.

Women should pay attention to the fact that disulfiram -like reactions are possible not only with oral and drug injections, but also with the use of vaginal creams.

Alcohol and cephalosporins

Cephalosporins are a group of broad -spectrum drugs with strong bacterial effects. They are considered the main "destroyers" of streptococci and staphylococci and treat the following diseases:

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

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

All cephalosporins, similar to nitroimidazoles, are capable of causing disulfiram -like reactions. Its main symptoms: nausea, pain in the head, stomach, caused by body intoxication. The possibility of a reaction such as disulfiram must be taken seriously, as 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 like disulfiram, but also brings negative consequences.

Antibiotics That Are Relatively Safe To Drink Alcohol

A number of antibacterial drugs have been successfully tested for compatibility with alcohol, and the combination is safe for the body.

• Penicillin antibiotics.
• Expectorants and mucolytics, prescribed for lung diseases, to thin viscous phlegm.
• Antifungal drugs.

The above medications can be taken with alcohol, but this does not mean it can be safely washed off with alcohol! The best option for the progression of the incident while taking antibiotics is a complete refusal to drink alcohol.

How to combine alcohol and antibiotics properly - safety precautions

The best option for the progression of the incident when treating patients with antibiotics is to refuse alcoholic beverages while taking the medication. In exceptional cases, when you cannot drink without drinking, the following safety rules must be observed:

• Ask your doctor if it is permissible to mix alcohol with medication and consider the possibility of stopping drinking alcohol.
• The minimum time interval between taking antibiotics and drinking alcohol is 4 hours. The shorter period is fraught with great health problems.
• The amount drunk depends on gender, weight, severity of the current disease, strength of the drink, and should not exceed 300-350 ml.
• Ethanol is present not only in liquor (vodka, cognac, whiskey), but also in low -alcohol beverages (wine, champagne, beer). Although the alcohol content here is reduced several times, drinking will not endanger health.

In patients undergoing antibiotic therapy, the question arises: how long after the course is allowed to drink alcoholic beverages? The exact answer can be given by the attending physician, and it depends on several factors: gender, age of a person, the nature of his disease, health, drugs. Most drugs have a cumulative effect, continuing to act on the body after the end of intake. Physicians recommend starting drinking 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 medication 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, marshmallows, echinacea, eleutherococcus). It is necessary to study the composition of drugs taken simultaneously with antibiotics.
3. Carefully read the instructions for the drug to find out how compatible it is with alcohol. If the instructions say that research on this issue has not been conducted or there is no information, you should stop drinking alcoholic beverages while undergoing treatment.

Antibacterial drugs carry an unnecessary burden on the body and are prescribed in case of serious illness. The doctor can only prescribe certain medications, everything depends on the patient, who, first of all, must think of a speedy recovery. Sick people need to take the prescribed medication on time, sleep at least 7-8 hours a day, eat foods with high content of vitamins and microelements. It is better to forget about consuming alcohol during this period. This is especially true for people suffering from chronic diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys. Otherwise, the negative consequences will not force themselves to reap. It can be:

• Central nervous system failure and gradual death of brain cells.
• Body poisoning, symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
• Kidney damage, problems with the urinary system.
• Violation of heart rhythm.
• 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 the infection on its own.
• Cardiopalmus.
• Blood pressure surges are dangerous for hypertensive patients.
• Stool disorders in the form of constipation or diarrhea.
• Weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength.
• Depression, nervous disorders.
• Irritation, insomnia.
• Decreased intellectual abilities, memory impairment, attention span.
• Fever and chills.
• Severe headache.
• Convulsions.
• Allergic reactions in the form of itching, rash and redness of the skin.
• Quincke’s breathing difficulties and edema - without timely medical treatment, it ends in death.
• The effect of treatment is minimal or nonexistent.
• The disease can become chronic, reducing the patient’s quality of life.

Alcohol in small doses will complete the holiday and help to relax. But its use during illness will not bring any pleasure and can harm the body. This is the main thing one should keep in mind when deciding for themselves whether it is worth mixing alcohol and antibiotics.