Alcohol is so much a part of our lives. It is everywhere. It is easily obtained and used in many ways, for pleasure, business, dining, socially in groups and meetings. People tend to use alcohol without hesitation or thought. They also forget that it is a drug. In fact, it is the only drug that you don't need a prescription for, which makes it so dangerous. When people use alcohol with other medications it could be and life threatening. Alcohol was one of the first drugs discovered by people. As far back as the earliest civilization alcohol was consumed by many. Sailors were probably some of the first guinea pigs of drug and alcohol interactions.
Captains of sailing ships often needed extra crew members at the last minute and with the knowledge that it would be difficult to roundup willing volunteers, they would go to the local taverns and make a deal with the shady bartenders to spot a likely candidate in the bar. They would be slipped some chloral hydrate, a tranquilizer that was a forerunner of barbiturates, in their drinks rum or grog as they would call it. The chloral hydrate produced a supra additive effect by delaying and modifying alcohol metabolism and adding a sedative action all its own. The drug would knock the sailor out cold and before he knew what was happening and before he would wake up he would be so far out to sea there was not much he could do. He would be trapped. Putting aside the issues of alcohol abuse, we are also concerned with the very serious potential of alcohol interaction when used with other medications that we may take as prescribed or not. People rarely tell their doctors that they occasionally have a drink from time to time.
Although they are usually asked and told by their doctor to not use prescribed medications with alcohol people often ignore the warning label on the bottle which states-"Do not use with alcohol". Surprisingly there are an amazing number of drugs that can be very hazardous combinations with alcohol. There are many different medications that can enhance the effects of alcohol. Anti anxiety agents such as Librium, Tranxene, Valium, or Xanax should never be combined with alcohol. Beer is alcohol too. Reflexes can be slowed and mental function can be impaired at very low doses. Anti- depressants and even some tension headache relievers such as Florina l or Fioricet (which contain the barbiturate butalbital) can be a serious problem. Also antihistamines are another danger. They are found in allergy, cold and flu remedy's.
Always read the labels and ask the pharmacist about the cautions of medications that are safe.
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