What is a drug interaction?
Key Points A drug interaction is a reaction between two (or more) drugs or between a drug and a food, beverage, or supplement. A drug interaction can affect how a drug works or cause unwanted side effects. Treatment with HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) helps people with HIV live ...
What should I do if I have drug interactions?
Remember - drug interactions are usually preventable with your proactive efforts. However, if you discover you are at risk for a possible drug interaction, call your doctor or pharmacist as quickly as you can.
What is an example of drug-condition interaction?
Drug-condition interaction: A reaction that occurs when taking a drug while having a certain medical condition. For example, taking a nasal decongestant if you have high blood pressure may cause an unwanted reaction. A drug interaction can affect how a drug works or cause unwanted side effects. Do HIV medicines ever cause drug interactions?
How do you use a drug interaction checker?
Drug Interactions Checker Start typing a drug name and select the best match from the list of suggestions. Repeat the process to add multiple drugs. Once your list is complete, you can check for interactions immediately or save your list for future reference.
What happens when you have a drug interaction?
Drug interactions involve combinations of a medication with other substances that alter the medication's effect on the body. This can cause the medication to be less or more potent than intended or result in unexpected side effects.
What is the role of the pharmacist when discovering an interaction between two medications?
Pharmacists must take responsibility for monitoring for drug interactions and notifying the physician and patient about potential problems.
How do you manage the adverse effects of drugs?
Start with low doses and frequencies and slowly titrate as tolerated. Initiate less-potent agents, agents with direct mechanisms of action, or alternatives with lower adverse event incidence. Avoid or reduce the use of interacting medications. Prescribe dosage forms with minimal systemic exposure (eg creams, patches).
How can the risk of drug interaction be minimized?
Use drug interaction checkers. Check out the Drugs.com Drug Interactions Checker. Enter all prescriptions, over-the-counters, vitamins, dietary supplements and herbal remedies you are taking. If you find a drug interaction do not stop taking your medicine but discuss it with your healthcare provider.
Do pharmacist check for drug interactions?
Pharmacists are trained to identify potentially unsafe drug interactions, and they are best positioned to do so, and warn patients. “I have encountered several instances of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) during my practice as a pharmacist,” Tindal said.
How long should you wait to avoid drug interactions?
Your pharmacist will put a sticker on the your bottle to warn you of this interaction. To avoid the interaction you may need to space the timing of your doses, taking each drug 2 hours before or 4 hours after the other drug.
Should I stop taking medication if I have side effects?
Talk to your doctor first. The benefits of the drug may far outweigh any side effects. Unpleasant or harmful reactions to medications are common and can range from mild—a little nausea, for example—to severe, such as fainting or palpitations.
Do medication side effects go away?
Some side effects go away over time as your body gets used to a new drug, so your doctor may recommend you stick with your current plan for a little longer. In other cases, you may be able to lower your dose, try a different drug, or add another one, like an anti-nausea medicine, to your routine.
What are the most common drug interactions?
Which are Some Common Drug-Drug interactions?Digoxin and Amiodarone. ... Digoxin and Verapamil. ... Theophylline and Quinolones. ... Warfarin and Macrolides. ... Warfarin and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) ... Warfarin and Phenytoin. ... Warfarin and Quinolones. ... Warfarin and Sulfa Drugs.More items...•
Who is responsible for drug interactions?
Multiple Doctors, Multiple Pharmacists And even though 63 percent said their doctor and pharmacist are equally responsible for spotting and talking about possible drug interactions, only 36 percent said their pharmacist definitely knew about all the medications they're taking when they fill a prescription.
Which is the most common type of drug interaction?
pharmacokinetic – defined as an alteration in the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of one drug by another. This is the most common type of drug interaction.
What are the different types of drug interactions?
There are three types of drug interactions: Drug-drug interaction: A reaction between two (or more) drugs. Drug-food interaction: A reaction between a drug and a food or beverage. Drug-condition interaction: A reaction that occurs when taking a drug while having a certain medical condition.
How to avoid drug interactions?
You can take the following steps to avoid drug interactions: Tell your health care provider about all prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking or plan to take. Also tell your health care provider about any vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you take.
How does drug interaction affect HIV?
A drug interaction can affect how a drug works or cause unwanted side effects. Treatment with HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives and reduces the risk of HIV transmission. But drug interactions can complicate HIV treatment.
What to consider before recommending an HIV treatment regimen?
Before recommending an HIV treatment regimen, health care providers carefully consider potential drug-drug interactions between HIV medicines. They also ask about other medicines a person may be taking.
What to tell your health care provider before taking HIV medication?
Before taking HIV medicines, tell your health care provider about all prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take.
What is the treatment for HIV?
Treatment with HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives and reduces the risk of HIV transmission. But drug interactions, especially drug-drug interactions, can complicate HIV treatment.
Can HIV drugs affect food?
Yes, the use of HIV medicines can lead to both drug-food interactions and drug-condition interactions. Food can affect the absorption of some HIV medicines and increase or reduce the concentration of the medicine in the blood. Depending on the HIV medicine, the change in concentration may be helpful or harmful.
What is an example of an interaction between a drug and a nonprescription treatment?
This is a reaction between a drug and a nonprescription treatment. These include over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbs, vitamins, or supplements. An example of this type of interaction can occur between a diuretic — a drug that attempts to rid the body of excess water and salt — and ibuprofen (Advil).
What is drug interaction?
Drug interactions involve combinations of a medication with other substances that alter the medication’s effect on the body. This can cause the medication to be less or more potent than intended or result in unexpected side effects.
What is the definition of a dose?
Dose. The term “dose” is the amount of medication prescribed to be taken or administered. (You may sometimes hear the term “dosage,” which refers to an amount of medication given at specific periods of time — for example, once a day.) Two people taking the exact same drug may be prescribed different doses.
Why is formulation important in medicine?
A medication’s formulation is important because it can determine, in part, how the drug acts in the body as well as its effectiveness.
Why do drugs go down?
Genetics. Variations in individual genetic makeup can make the same drug work differently in different bodies. As a result of their particular genetic code, some people process certain medications more quickly or more slowly than others. This may cause the drug levels to go down or go up more than expected.
How does weight affect medication?
Weight. Some drugs are dosed according to how much a person weighs . Weight changes could affect dosage and also increase or decrease the risk of drug interactions. So if you have a substantial change in your weight, you could need a different dosage of some medications.
What are some examples of drug interactions?
Differences between the sexes, such as anatomy and hormones, can play a part in drug interactions. For example, the recommended dose of zolpidem (Ambien) given to women was lowered to half the amount prescribed to men.
What facts should I know about drug interactions?
Whenever two or more drugs are being taken, there is a chance that there will be an interaction among the drugs. The interaction may increase or decrease the effectiveness of the drugs or their side effects. The likelihood of drug interactions increases as the number of drugs being taken increases.
What are drug interactions?
A drug interaction can be defined as an interaction between a drug and another substance that prevents the drug from performing as expected. This drug interaction definition applies to
How do drug interactions occur?
There are several mechanisms by which drugs interact with other drugs, food, and other substances. An interaction can result when there is an increase or decrease in:
Change in absorption
Most drugs are absorbed into the blood and then travel to their site of action. Most drug interactions that are due to altered absorption occur in the intestine. There are various ways that the absorption of drugs can be reduced. These mechanisms include:
Change in drug metabolism and elimination
Most drugs are eliminated through the kidney in either an unchanged form or metabolized by the liver. Therefore, the kidney and the liver are very important sites of potential drug interactions. Some drugs are able to reduce or increase the metabolism of other drugs by the liver or their elimination by the kidney.
How often do drug interactions occur?
The prescribing information for most drugs contains a list of potential drug interactions. Many of the listed interactions may be rare, minor, or only occur under specific conditions and may not be important. Drug interactions that cause important changes in the action of a drug are of greatest concern.
What are the consequences of drug interactions?
Drug interactions may lead to an increase or decrease in the beneficial or the adverse effects of the given drugs. When a drug interaction increases the benefit of the administered drugs without increasing side effects, both drugs may be combined to increase the control of the condition that is being treated.
How long after taking dolutegravir can you take milk?
Dolutegravir should be taken 2 hours before or 6 hours after medications that contain calcium or other minerals to help prevent this interaction. In the same manner, many drugs cannot be taken with milk or dairy products because they will bind with the calcium.
What is the interaction between fenofibric acid and warfarin?
One example of an interaction is between fenofibric acid (Trilipix), used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, and warfarin, a common blood thinner to help prevent clots. Fenofibric acid can increase the effects of warfarin and cause you to bleed more easily. Metabolism: Drugs are usually eliminated from the body as either ...
Why is it important to check for drug interactions?
Drug interactions are important to check for because they can: Affect how your medication works by changing levels of the drug in your blood. Put you at risk for side effects and toxicity. Worsen a medical condition you may already have.
What is the interaction between two drugs?
A pharmacodynamic interaction occurs when two drugs given together act at the same or similar receptor site and lead to a greater (additive or synergistic) effect or a decreased (antagonist) effect.
What is pharmacokinetic interaction?
A pharmacokinetic interaction may occur if one drug affects another drug’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion. Examples can help to explain these complicated mechanisms: Absorption: Some drugs can alter the absorption of another drug into your bloodstream.
Can drug interactions cause side effects?
Drug-drug interactions can decrease how well your medications work, may increase minor or serious unexpected side effects, or even increase the blood level and possible toxicity of a certain drug.
Does diltiazem affect enzymes?
However, enzyme levels may go up or down and affect how drugs are broken down. For example, using diltiazem (a blood pressure medication) with simvastatin (a medicine to lower cholesterol) may elevate the blood levels and side effects of simvastatin.
What to do when someone picks up a new prescription?
When someone picks up a new prescription, they should ask about common drug interactions and tell the pharmacist about all other medications and supplements they are taking.
What drugs make you sleepy?
Some of these drugs include: antihistamines. benzodiazepines (used to treat anxiety) sleeping pills. Recreational drugs can also cause drug interactions.
Why does trust source interact with other medications?
Trusted Source. is an anticoagulant used to help prevent blood clots. It interacts with many other medications. This is because a group of enzymes (called CYP450 enzymes) change the way the body metabolizes warfarin.
What are the drugs that are used to lower cholesterol?
antianxiety drugs, such as buspirone. corticosteroids, such as Uceris and Entocort EC. Learn more about interactions between grapefruit and statins, which are used to lower cholesterol and treat heart disease.
What is a drug interaction?
What to know about drug interactions. A drug interaction happens when a substance affects how a drug behaves in the body. Some substances that can cause interactions include other drugs, supplements, food, and alcohol. Drug interactions can make a drug less effective.
How do you know if you are taking a drug?
of drug interactions vary greatly and range from mild to life threatening. Some common warning signs include feeling sick after taking a medication, not getting the usual results from a medication, or feeling either very tired or very energetic after taking a medication.
How many people take vitamins?
A 2019 poll from the American Osteopathic Association found that 86% of Americans take vitamins or supplements. While supplements are beneficial for people with a deficiency, they still have potential side effects and interactions, just like any other medication.
What is St John's Wort used for?
St. John's wort is an herb is used to treat depression. It ramps up liver enzymes, so it may increase the metabolism of certain meds and lower their concentration in your bloodstream. Cholesterol-lowering meds including lovastatin (Mevacor and Altocor), sildenafil (Viagra) for erectile dysfunction, and digoxin (Lanoxin) prescribed for heart conditions are some of the meds whose concentrations may be lowered if a patient takes St. John's Wort at the same time. Depression is a serious medical condition. Seek professional help if you are depressed.
What foods should I eat with warfarin?
Excess levels of the vitamin will make warfarin and other blood thinners less effective and increase the risk of blood clots. Foods high in the vitamin include Brussels sprouts, parsley, kale, broccoli, and spinach. Ask your doctor which of these are safe for you to consume and in what amounts. Eat the same amount of foods rich in the vitamin every day to help keep levels in your blood steady so blood clotting is unaffected.
What drugs interfere with iron?
Iron supplements interact with a long list of drugs used to treat a variety of conditions. Cholesterol -lowering drugs including cholestyramine and colestipol interfere with the absorption of iron. So do acid blockers like ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), and cimetidine (Tagamet). Conversely, iron decreases the absorption of some drugs including antibiotics like quinolones and tetracyclines and ACE inhibitors that treat high BP. Iron may reduce blood levels of thyroid replacement hormone (Levothyroxine) and Parkinson's treatments like carbidopa and levedopa (Sinemet). Birth control pills may increase blood levels of iron. Check your multivitamin. It may contain iron that can interfere with drugs you are taking. If you must take iron, ask your doctor or pharmacist how many hours before or after you should take it if you are on meds.
Can antiseizure medication affect blood levels?
Antiseizure meds have the potential to increase or decrease the blood levels of other meds . Antidepressants, antipsychotics, antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitics, birth control pills, blood thinners, antineoplastic drugs, and immunosuppressants are some of the meds whose blood levels may be affected if you take antiseizure meds . Potential drug interactions between antiseizure meds range from relatively mild to severe (for example, impaired thinking to increased number of seizures). Make sure your doctor and pharmacist have a complete list of the prescription drugs and over-the-counter meds you are taking and can check for potential drug interactions. Epilepsy is a serious medical condition. Take drug therapy as directed to minimize the risk of side effects and drug interactions.
Can antihistamines cause heart problems?
Allergy meds may interact with sedating antidepressants. The combined effect may impair your ability to drive and concentrate. Certain BP meds mixed with some antihistamines may cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure and heart rate. If you need to take a prescription or over-the-counter drug containing an antihistamine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it doesn't interact with anything else that you're taking.
Does grapefruit affect statins?
Grapefruit is a common food that may affect more than 50 different medications by affecting their activity or metabolism. The nature of the interaction varies. The fruit may up blood levels of some medicines, like statins. In other cases, as with the antihistamine fexofenadine (Allegra), grapefruit and grapefruit juice decrease both the blood levels of the drug and its effectiveness. If you're unsure whether or not you can safely consume grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your prescription and over-the-counter medications, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Does Gingko help memory?
Gingko biloba is an herb that promotes blood circulation and may help improve memory. Gingko may interfere with drugs prescribed to treat a variety of health conditions. High doses of the herb may make antiseizure medications like carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol) and valproic acid (Depakote) less effective. Gingko may increase side effects of antidepressants, blood thinners, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It may enhance BP medication, making blood pressure too low. It may make anti-anxiety medications less effective. Gingko may affect blood sugar, so take care and ask a health care professional before using it if you take diabetes drugs.
