Thanks to the achievements of modern medicine and pharmacy, today the disease is no longer a short condition, after which you either recover or not. Chronic diseases are now widespread, in part because methods exist to control them and ensure the continued comfort of the patient.
It is in this way that taking medication has become a part of everyday life for a huge part of society. Another characteristic of him is his lack of patience – any discomfort must be removed as soon as possible and at any cost.
Ethanol alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in modern society. This fact, together with the characteristics described above, gives special importance to the question of the simultaneous intake of alcohol and drugs.
What happens in the body after drinking alcohol?
After drinking the drink, it enters the stomach, where on average about 20% of it is absorbed. After that, together with the rest of the stomach contents, the alcohol passes into the small intestine, where the main absorption is – 80%.
On an empty stomach, the first manifestations of intoxication may appear as early as 10 minutes after ingestion, and the maximum plasma concentrations are between 30 minutes and 2 hours after that. If alcohol intake is after a meal, especially with a high-fat meal, the process is significantly delayed and peak blood plasma concentrations are expected to occur 1 to 6 hours later.
Carbonated drinks and alcohol accelerate absorption – they have the property of increasing blood supply to the mucous membrane, which also promotes faster absorption of ethanol.
Alcohol has a depressing effect on the brain. On the one hand, it blocks glutamate receptors (glutamate is associated with an increase in brain activity), and on the other hand, it activates receptors dependent on gamma-aminobutyric acid (associated with a suppressive effect).
The liver is where alcohol is metabolized. At first, the ethanol alcohol molecule is absorbed by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and under its influence, it turns into the substance acetaldehyde. We can convince him about the unpleasant effects of alcohol intake, as it causes vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels), facial redness, and accelerated heart activity (tachycardia). The enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase then converts it to acetic acid.
Alcohol and drugs
A complex enzyme system functions in the liver. In addition to alcohol, it also metabolizes drugs. Some of the medications must be activated in the liver to do their job. Still others, if not deactivated by liver enzymes, may continue their effects longer than intended.
Alcohol and its metabolites in the liver affect the activity of these enzymes and thus change the effect of the drugs as well. In case of excessive alcohol consumption, especially on the background of medication, acute damage to the liver can occur – toxic hepatitis.
Another mechanism by which alcohol and drugs interact is their effect. For example, benzodiazepines and barbiturates act on the brain through the same receptors, and their effect is multiplied when combined with alcohol.
Here are some examples of interactions between alcohol and different groups of medications:
- Antibiotics – when alcohol is combined with metronidazole, tinidazole, and some preparations from the group of cephalosporins, a disulfiram-like reaction is observed- the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase is blocked. Acetaldehyde cannot be broken down and the patient suffers from severe intoxication – severe vomiting, nausea, headache.
- Antidepressants – their sedative effect is enhanced when combined with alcohol; it also suppresses the metabolism of amitriptyline and therefore there may be an increase in adverse drug reactions. When monoamine oxidase inhibitors are taken together with red wine, severe crises of high blood pressure can be expected due to the substance tyramine in the wine.
- Antihistamines – they have a pronounced depressing effect on the nervous system, and alcohol can significantly potentiate their sedative effect.
- Anti-epileptic preparations – Regular use of alcohol stimulates an enzyme that breaks down some of them and therefore their therapeutic effect can be reduced.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen, etc. when taken with alcohol create a risk of stomach bleeding. Alcohol stimulates an enzyme that creates a highly toxic metabolite after taking paracetamol. That is why even normal doses of paracetamol when combined with alcohol, can cause severe liver damage.
The material is informative and cannot replace consultation with a doctor. Before starting treatment, you must consult a doctor.
