There are many different opinions about the acceptability of the use of ethyl alcohol in the treatment of bacterial infections. Many people search for information about what is myth and what is true on the Internet. People are usually interested in how long it takes for the active components of the antibiotic to leave the body and when they can drink alcohol after taking the last pill. Questions are often asked about what consequences can occur if these 2 substances are taken at the same time. The interest is related to the reluctance of many people, even while treating a bacterial infection, to deny themselves the pleasure of drinking a glass of wine or a bottle of beer with dinner.
What are antibiotics?
These are synthetic or natural substances that have a good antimicrobial effect. They are used in the treatment of various infectious processes, because the active components of antibacterial drugs effectively destroy pathogenic microorganisms (bactericidal) or stop their reproduction (bacteriostatic). Some drugs from this group are capable of both actions, depending on the dose taken. Indications for prescribing these drugs are bacterial infections and only a doctor can prescribe them.
The main condition for effective treatment is strict adherence to all the doctor's recommendations. Elimination of alcohol during the therapeutic course is in the first place. Many people are confused by this warning. But the course of therapy with these drugs is prescribed when there is a threat that the disease will become chronic or develop serious complications, and it lasts only 5-10 days, a week at most. This is not such a long period to sacrifice alcohol for the sake of your health.
Why do doctors not recommend alcohol during antibacterial therapy?
Doctors strongly advise against drinking alcohol if a patient is being treated for a bacterial infection. Moreover, drinks containing alcohol should not be taken with any medications, because their combined use can cause disorders of somatic organs and systems. It is worth talking about several reasons that give doctors the right to prohibit patients from drinking alcohol while undergoing antibiotic therapy.
Slowing down the elimination of half-life products
Mentioning alcohol and antibiotics in the same phrase for many causes the appearance of fatal consequences in their minds in connection with the appearance of acute side effects. With the simultaneous use of these 2 substances, antibacterial drugs can cause a pronounced reaction similar to disulfiram. This reaction consists of the appearance of the following symptoms:
- colic;
- tremor;
- nausea;
- headache;
- facial redness;
- stomach cramps;
- confusion;
- increased sweating;
- increased heart rate;
- feeling like you can't breathe.
The appearance and intensification of such signs is directly related to the reaction of the antibacterial drug to ethyl alcohol. The taken pill slows down the breakdown of ethanol into safe substances, and the dangerous toxin acetaldehyde accumulates in the blood, causing severe poisoning. That is why experts categorically do not recommend taking a course of antibacterial therapy and continuing to drink alcohol.
It is also possible for an incorrect response to treatment to occur. Ethyl alcohol slows down antibiotics: they lose their activity, which leads to a decrease in their protective abilities, and the body is left at the mercy of bacteria.
Increased toxicity
The use of ethyl alcohol in the treatment of infection poses a great danger to the liver. Active components of antibacterial agents can accumulate in the efferent bile ducts, blocking them, and alcohol interferes with the fatty acid synthesis process that takes place in hepatocytes. This increased toxic action causes disorders in the liver. The negative effect that occurs when a drug and a drink containing alcohol are combined affects other vital organs. They most often suffer from:
- kidneys;
- the brain;
- cardiovascular system;
- Gastrointestinal tract.
Weakening of the immune system
To deal with an infection, an immune response is needed. If it is broken, the disease will recede. However, drinks that contain ethanol during metabolism lead to a weakening of the defense system, due to which recovery will have to wait a long time. In addition, the following negative phenomena occur:
The simultaneous use of antibiotics and alcohol leads to a decrease in the therapeutic effect and causes the development of adverse health consequences. Therefore, when undergoing antibiotic therapy, you should forget about drinking alcoholic beverages.
Ethanol contributes to the disturbance of night sleep, which stimulates the production of cytokines. These are specific proteins that activate the immune response to pathogens. Their lack leads to a slowdown in the functioning of the immune system.
Reduced therapeutic effect of antibacterial drugs
The liver breaks down antibiotics and ethyl alcohol using special enzymes (proteins) - acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. If you use both substances at the same time, the result will be one of two options:
Regular consumption of alcohol over several days (a situation typical of drunkenness) causes the opposite situation. Enzymes break down the medicine faster, which results in a reduction of substances needed for recovery in the body. This causes the healing process to slow down, and in some cases even leads to the development of resistance to antibacterial agents.
When a large amount of alcoholic beverages consumed in a short period of time enters the body, liver enzymes begin to metabolize ethanol, and the breakdown of the drug slows down. The result is a rapid increase in the amount of active medicinal components in the blood. This slows down the healing process, and in some cases causes an increase in resistance to antibacterial drugs.
Increased likelihood of developing side effects of medications
Different groups of antibiotics can cause the following side effects in some cases:
- Allergic reactions (for example, skin rash);
- Oral candidiasis;
- Occurrence of dyspeptic disorders: diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
- Occurrence of dysbiosis due to disturbance of intestinal microflora;
- Acute headache, dizziness, lack of sleep at night, drowsiness during the day;
- Disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system;
- Changes in the urinary organs (infrequent or frequent urination) and musculoskeletal system (myalgia and arthralgia).
If a patient drinks a drink containing alcohol during the treatment of a bacterial infection, the likelihood of unpleasant reactions increases. This once again shows that you should not combine the use of the drug with alcohol-containing drinks.
How long after stopping antibiotics can I drink alcohol?
The elimination half-life is at least 2 days after taking the drug. Moreover, if the patient has undergone a course of antibiotic therapy, this time is not enough for him. You must wait at least a week before drinking alcohol. This waiting period is necessary to completely clear the patient's body of antibiotic residues and to avoid a possible reaction - a disulfiram-like effect. Based on drug groups, waiting times are as follows:
- A person who has no history of chronic diseases and has not had chemotherapy or radiation in the last 12 months can drink a small amount of alcohol 24 hours after the end of antibiotic therapy.
- Patients prescribed Metronidazole should avoid drinking alcohol for 2 days after the last injection or tablet.
- After completing the course of Tinidazole therapy, alcohol remains prohibited for another 72 hours. Patients with a history of hepatitis or cirrhosis should avoid alcoholic beverages for at least 2 weeks after completing antibiotic therapy.
Ethyl alcohol can be found in mouthwashes, sprays, natural herbal remedies and nutritional supplements. Therefore, the question of the advisability of taking them during antibiotic therapy or immediately after its completion should be discussed with your doctor.
Which antibacterial drugs can you drink alcohol with?
There have been no detailed studies to confirm that the simultaneous use of ethanol and drugs that relieve bacterial infections poses a threat to health. There was an experiment on rats. It was conducted with azithromycin, which is part of a group of antibiotics used to treat many diseases. The results of the study showed that its effectiveness does not decrease when taken together with alcohol. However, sometimes azithromycin itself, which is quite a strong drug, can cause serious side effects, especially liver damage.
Bacteriophage. It is allowed to take this drug and alcoholic beverages together, because the effects of their simultaneous use have not been sufficiently studied. It takes time and accumulated statistics to determine their possible interactions. However, to avoid trouble, you should consult your doctor before combining Bacteriophage with alcohol.
There are a number of other drugs to treat bacterial infections that have not been shown to interact negatively with alcohol. Notes for the 5 most commonly prescribed drugs do not contain any contraindications directly related to ethyl alcohol. These include medicines containing the following substances:
- Cephalexin.
- Amoxicillin.
- Ciprofloxacin.
- Azithromycin.
- Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.
Along with these antibacterial medications, you can also take cough and cold medications that contain ethanol. However, you must understand that alcohol present in the body at the same time as the active component of antibiotics can create an increased load on all systems and cause liver tissue damage. So is it worth the risk and mixing these 2 substances?
With which medicines is it forbidden to drink alcohol?
There are several antibiotics that can directly interact with ethanol. During treatment, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol in any quantity. These include medicines with the following active ingredients:
- Linezolid. The product is effective against bacteria resistant to other types of antibiotics. The drug is prescribed for skin infections.
- Fluoroquinolones. Their combination with alcohol is very dangerous due to the direct effect of the drug on the central nervous system. A patient who makes a mistake can end up in a comatose state.
- Aminoglycosides. These drugs are incompatible even with other drugs, especially with drinks containing ethyl alcohol.
- Cycloserine. It is used in the treatment of lung infections and tuberculosis. In combination with alcohol, it leads to the appearance of a convulsive syndrome.
- Lincosamides. Antibiotics from this group, when consumed with drinks containing alcohol, negatively affect the liver and central nervous system.
- Tinidazole 500 mg. An antibacterial drug used to destroy single-celled pathological microorganisms. It is included in the group of drugs prescribed to alleviate helicobacteriosis.
- Metronidazole 250 mg. An antimicrobial drug used to treat vaginal and dental infections. It is added to ointments and gels used for the treatment of decubitus and trophic ulcers.
- Cephalosporins cause severe alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol consumed during therapy with these drugs causes sharp "jumps" in blood pressure. Adverse reactions occur even when the drug is applied externally.
What to do in case of simultaneous use?
Conscious unwillingness to follow the doctor's advice or carelessness can create a situation where antibiotics and alcohol enter the stomach at the same time. A person who commits a dangerous mixture does not necessarily feel ill immediately. If such a situation occurs, it is necessary to monitor the situation. If negative reactions do not appear, you do not need to seek medical help, but help yourself:
- Drink 1. 5-2 liters of a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Induce artificial vomiting.
- Take an enterosorbent (you can finely grind activated carbon and dilute it in water at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight).
- Call your doctor and tell him that the last pill has been removed and explain why and when it happened. The doctor will decide whether it is necessary to adjust the dose in a particular case.
It is good if you have the opportunity to give blood for analysis. His results will make it possible to understand whether the combination of an antibacterial drug and ethanol had a negative effect on the blood count. But if soon after a dangerous combination, pronounced negative signs from the digestive, cardiovascular or nervous system appear, it is better to call an ambulance. This is especially true for people who have had allergies or diabetes, as their bodies can react in unpredictable ways due to increased sensitivity.
It should be remembered that the combined use of alcohol and antibiotics is very dangerous, because it causes an increased load on somatic organs, especially the liver. You can drink a little alcohol once, because it will not cause dangerous consequences or side effects. But it is better to first undergo a course of antibiotic therapy and then relax.