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Drug Interactions You May Not know About
Nearly half of Americans take at least
one prescription drug,
and one in six takes
three or more, according
to a new report from
the U.S. Department
of Health and Human
Services. Plus, recent
surveys reveal that a
growing number of individuals
also take over-the-counter (OTC)
medications and herbal products. The
result? Potential for unintended side
effects or interactions that change the
way the medications work. Here are
some examples:
- Decongestants: Commonly
found in OTC cold and allergy
medications, decongestants can
increase blood pressure in people
who take medicine to lower their
blood pressure. Decongestants also
can cause blood pressure to rise in
those who are taking antidepressants
called MAO inhibitors.
- St. John's wort: This popular herb
is used to combat depression. But St.
John's wort can interact harmfully
with many different OTC and
prescription medicines. These
include tranquilizers, sleeping pills,
antidepressants, the asthma drug theophylline, and popular cholesterollowering
drugs called statins. It can
be harmful if taken with alcohol, too.
- Blood thinners: Drugs such as
warfarin help prevent blood clots in
people prone to stroke and heart attack.
Combining prescription blood thinners
with aspirin, acetaminophen, or naproxen
could cause excessive bleeding.
Many herbal supplements also
interact with warfarin. One new study
in the Annals of Internal Medicine
reports that ginseng can hamper warfarin's
blood-thinning effect. Other
herbs, such as dong quai and ginkgo
biloba, may increase bleeding if taken
at the same time as warfarin.
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