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 significant events or holidays, it is tempting to break the ban.
The attitude of evidence-based medicine to this situation is controversial, as no comprehensive study has been conducted, the results of which would allow a full assessment of the negative effects of concomitant use of alcohol and antibacterial drugs. This does not mean that you can safely combine them, no sane doctor will recommend this. To understand how dangerous it is to drink alcohol during a course of antibiotic therapy, the article describes the effects of the combined effects of these substances on the body, gives examples of a combination of known drugs and alcoholic beverages.
The effect of alcohol and antibiotics on the body
Holidays in our country are traditionally celebrated with the use of alcoholic beverages. Many people can not 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. Between them:
- Liver dysfunction.
- Excessive stress on the gastrointestinal tract.
- Increased heart rate.
- Brain cell death.
- Chronic diseases of the kidneys and bladder.
- Nervous system disorders.
- Severe hangover syndrome.
- Depressed state, nervous breakdown.
Drinking alcohol during illness is definitely not worth it. This will further stress the body, which is already working in an emergency mode, fighting the disease.
Antibacterial drugs, introduced 90 years ago, quickly became a sought-after drug 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 gets a chance to cope with the disease itself.
Antibacterial drugs act on a person as aggressively as possible, undermining the ability of the immune system to fight the disease on its own. Their use is imperative in case of bacterial infection, which the body can not cope alone. Only a professional doctor has the right to prescribe such drugs. It is absolutely impossible to treat yourself, especially with a viral origin of the disease, when antibacterial drugs are useless.
Antibiotics help to avoid the severe consequences of the disease, but taking them leads to a large number of side effects:
- Suppression of the natural microflora of the stomach.
- Suppression of immunity, the body is unable to resist the causes of the disease.
- The liver cannot completely cleanse the body of toxins.
A person's well-being deteriorates, lethargy, weakness appear, depression occurs, chronic diseases worsen.
It is not difficult to imagine what will happen to the unfortunate organism when you combine the course of antibiotic therapy with violent feasts. The immune system, kidneys, liver and organs of the gastrointestinal tract will have a double load, which is extremely difficult to deal with. This can lead to a worsening of the current condition, and the disease will go from acute to chronic, 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 the weakening effect of antibiotics on the background of alcohol consumption. Sometimes the opposite situation occurs: the number of enzymes increases and the breakdown of the drug becomes faster. But another scenario is 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 a sign of incontinence and weakness of character, and the ban on drinking alcohol became a form 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 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 the postulate that alcohol and antibiotics were incompatible was gradually established in medicine.
There are a number of reasons for this statement. Doctors note that in patients who drink alcohol with antibacterial drugs, recovery is much slower than in those who lead 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 regular use of alcoholic beverages, it is impossible to establish a proper daily routine with proper rest and diet. At the same time, vitamins, minerals and nutrients cannot be fully absorbed and the body gradually becomes depleted. As a result, the patient's medication will be ineffective.
Compatibility of alcoholic beverages and antibiotics
Modern antibiotics are gentle. Their combination with alcohol in most cases does not have strong negative consequences for the body. Doctors identify a number of drugs that can not be combined with strong drinks. The rate of their absorption is related to the work of the same enzymes that are responsible for the breakdown of ethanol - the basis of alcoholic beverages. Enzymes cannot handle a huge amount of work and as a result, the drug accumulates in the body. This brings side effects that one will soon feel on oneself.
The interaction of antibiotics and alcohol leads to a long list of negative consequences:
- Severe migraine-like headaches.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Dizziness, loss of consciousness.
- Frequent pulse, arrhythmia.
- Fever, fever.
- Heavy sweating.
- Insomnia.
- Condition close to depression, irritability.
- Weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength.
- Inflammatory processes of the liver, jaundice.
- Stomach pain caused by gastritis and ulcers.
Disulfiram-like reaction
The most common and dangerous adverse effect is a disulfiram-like reaction. This drug, used in the treatment of alcohol dependence, is able to affect the work of enzymes that process ethyl alcohol. Metabolism consists of two stages:
- Ethyl alcohol decomposes to acetaldehyde.
- Acetic aldehyde is converted to acetic acid.
Incompleteness of the second stage leads to the strongest hangover syndrome. For lovers of alcoholic beverages who take the drug, the process of timely separation of ethanol is disrupted, and if a dose of alcohol is added against the background of the intake, the body will overflow with toxic substances. Drinking alcohol in a state of intoxication is not possible and the patient gets rid of the addiction.
The signs of a disulfiram-like reaction are similar to those of a severe hangover:
- chills.
- Increased heart rate.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Convulsions.
- Allergic reactions.
- headache.
- Respiratory failure.
The latter, a disulfiram-like reaction, is considered life-threatening due to the likelihood of death. When trying to mix antibiotics and alcohol, the patient should be careful to monitor changes in his condition. The consequences can occur during a feast or 4-5 hours after it. In this situation, you should seek medical attention immediately.
The effect of concomitant use of antibiotics and alcohol on the functioning of the liver and gastrointestinal tract
The main reason for banning the combined use of antibiotics and alcohol is the threat of toxic liver damage. Its enzymes are unable to assimilate both the drug and ethanol. In this battle, alcohol usually wins and the drug accumulates in the liver cells, threatening severe intoxication.
During the disease, the liver cleanses the body of toxins and poisons, and alcohol increases the load many times over. People who are accustomed to mixing drugs and spirits are more likely to develop fibrous tissue changes and liver failure.
Drinking alcohol during antibiotic therapy may adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract. When ethyl enters the stomach, it provokes 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 completely absorbed and the effect of treatment will be reduced to zero.
Antibiotics can adversely affect the intestinal microflora. Patients taking these drugs often complain of abdominal pain, stool problems, constipation or diarrhea. Prebiotics and probiotics are often prescribed to restore the balance of the microflora after a course of antibiotics. If you drink alcohol at this time, you can gain chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis or stomach ulcers.
Possibility of an allergic reaction
The composition of alcoholic beverages, in addition to ethyl alcohol, contains additives, colorants, flavors, preservatives. The end result of their interaction with antibiotics is unpredictable. A potential hazard is the occurrence of an allergic reaction in mild or severe form. Itching, redness, sneezing will occur at best, and shortness of breath, Quincke's edema, and death will occur at worst. If a person notices such symptoms, then it is urgent to take an antihistamine and if there are serious consequences, call an ambulance immediately.
Before taking medication, patients should read the instructions carefully, checking how safe the combination of active ingredients and ethanol is.
Combination of alcohol with known groups of antibacterial drugs
A disulfiram-like reaction is life-threatening. Based on research, researchers have identified 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 to treat the following conditions:
- infections of the central nervous system (meningitis, brain abscess);
- intestinal infections;
- respiratory diseases (pneumonia, lung abscess);
- oral infections;
- skin diseases of different etymology;
- prevention of infections during surgery.
Drugs from this group should not be combined with alcohol! Although everything is not so simple. Studies from 2003 do not reveal the negative effects of drinking hard alcohol when using drugs. However, doctors are confident that the consequences of combining them can be as follows:
- acute abdominal pain;
- nausea, vomiting;
- strong headache;
- chills;
- heart rhythm disorder;
- in rare severe cases, respiratory failure develops.
Women should pay attention to the fact that a disulfiram-like reaction is possible not only with oral and injection of the drug, but also with the use of vaginal cream.
Alcohol and cephalosporins
Cephalosporins are a group of broad-spectrum drugs with strong bactericidal action. 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;
- skin infections, soft tissues.
Cephalosporins are often prescribed for purulent sore throats - one of the most common infections in our country.
All cephalosporins, just like nitroimidazoles, are capable of causing a disulfiram-like reaction. Its main symptoms: nausea, headache, abdominal pain, are caused by intoxication of the body. The possibility of a disulfiram-like reaction should be taken seriously, as the consequences can be serious, even fatal.
There are drugs that do not belong to the two groups listed above, ie their interaction with alcohol does not lead to a reaction similar to disulfiram, but also has negative consequences.
Antibiotics that are relatively safe to drink alcohol
A number of 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 lung diseases, to dilute viscous sputum.
- Antifungal drugs.
The above medicines can be taken with alcohol, but this does not mean that they can be safely washed down with strong drinks! The best option for the development of events while taking antibiotics is complete abstinence from alcohol.
How to properly combine alcohol and antibiotics - precautions
The best course of action for treating a patient with antibiotics is to abstain from alcohol while taking medication. In exceptional cases, when you can not do without drinking, the following safety rules must be observed:
- Ask your doctor if it is permissible to mix alcohol with drugs 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 tested depends on gender, weight, severity of the current disease, the strength of the drink and should not exceed 300-350 ml.
- Ethanol is present not only in spirits (vodka, cognac, whiskey), but also in soft drinks (wine, champagne, beer). Even if the alcohol content here is several times less, drinking will not go without harm to 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 depends on several factors: gender, age of the person, the nature of his disease, health, medication. Most drugs have a cumulative effect, continuing to act on the body after the end of intake. Medical experts recommend that you start drinking alcohol no earlier than 5 days after the end of treatment.
Three rules when taking antibacterial drugs:
- Antibacterial drugs are produced and prescribed in various dosage forms: tablets, syrups, intravenous and intramuscular injections, eye drops, ointments, vaginal suppositories, inhalation solutions. Any form of the drug can cause side effects.
- Ethanol, which is part 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, white rose, echinacea, eleutherococcus). It is necessary to study the composition of drugs taken concomitantly with antibiotics.
- Read the instructions carefully for the medicine 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 will need to stop drinking alcohol during treatment.
Antibacterial drugs carry unnecessary weight on the body and are prescribed in case of serious diseases. The doctor can only prescribe a certain medicine, everything else depends on the patient, who above all must think about a speedy recovery. A sick person should take prescribed medications in a timely manner, sleep at least 7-8 hours a day, eat foods high in vitamins and trace elements. It is better to forget about alcohol intake during this period. This is especially true for people suffering from chronic diseases of the heart, liver, kidneys. Otherwise, the negative consequences will not be forced to reap. Can not be:
- Central nervous system failure and gradual brain cell death.
- Intoxication of the body, the symptoms of which are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
- Kidney damage, problems with the urinary system.
- Cardiac arrhythmia.
- Gastritis, stomach ulcers.
- Disruption 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.
- Rising blood pressure is dangerous for patients with hypertension.
- Stool disorders in the form of constipation or diarrhea.
- Weakness, drowsiness, loss of strength.
- Depressed state, nervous breakdowns.
- Irritability, insomnia.
- Decreased intellectual abilities, memory impairment, concentration.
- Fever and chills.
- Severe headaches.
- Convulsions.
- Allergic reactions in the form of itching, rash and redness of the skin.
- Shortness of breath and Quincke's edema - without timely medical attention ends in death.
- The effect of treatment is minimal or absent.
- The disease can become chronic, which reduces the quality of life of the patient.
Alcohol in small doses will complement the holiday and help you relax. But its use during illness will not bring any pleasure and can harm the body. This is the main thing to keep in mind when deciding for yourself whether it is worth mixing alcohol and antibiotics.