There are many different opinions regarding the acceptability of the use of ethyl alcohol in the treatment of bacterial infections. Many people are looking for information about what is a myth and what is real on the Internet. People are usually interested in how long it takes for the active ingredients of antibiotics 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, since the active ingredients of antibacterial drugs effectively destroy pathogenic microorganisms (bactericidal) or stop their reproduction (bacteriostatic). Some drugs of 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 an effective treatment is strict compliance with all the doctor's recommendations. Elimination of alcohol during the therapeutic course is the first. Many people are confused by this warning. But a course of therapy with these drugs is prescribed when there is a risk that the disease will become chronic or serious complications will develop and lasts only 5-10 days, a maximum of a week. 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 the patient is being treated for a bacterial infection. Moreover, drinks containing alcohol should not be taken with any medicine, as their combined use can cause disorders of organs and somatic systems. It is worth talking about several reasons that give doctors the right to prohibit patients from drinking alcohol during a course of antibiotic therapy.
Slowing down the elimination of half-life products
The mention of alcohol and antibiotics in the same phrase provokes in many people the occurrence of fatal consequences in their thoughts about the occurrence of acute side effects. With the simultaneous use of these 2 substances, antibacterial drugs can provoke a pronounced disulfiram-like reaction. This reaction consists in the appearance of the following symptoms:
- stomach ache;
- tremors;
- nausea;
- headache;
- facial flushing;
- stomach cramps;
- confusion;
- increased sweating;
- increased heart rate;
- feel 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 pill taken slows down the decomposition 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 that an incorrect treatment response may occur. Ethyl alcohol has a retarding effect on antibiotics: they lose their activity, which leads to a decrease in their protective abilities and the body is at the mercy of bacteria.
Increased toxicity
The use of ethyl alcohol in the treatment of infection poses a great threat to the liver. Active components of antibacterial agents can accumulate in efferent bile ducts, blocking them, and alcohol interferes with the process of fatty acid synthesis that occurs in hepatocytes. This increased toxic effect provokes disturbances in the liver. The negative effect that occurs when the drug and a drink containing alcohol are combined, affects other vital organs. Most often they suffer:
- kidneys;
- brain;
- cardiovascular system;
- Gastrointestinal tract.
Weakening of the immune system
To fight an infection, an immune response is needed. If it is violated, the disease will creep up. However, drinks containing ethanol during metabolism lead to a weakening of the defense system, as a result of 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 provokes the development of harmful consequences for health. Therefore, when you go through a course of antibiotic therapy, you should forget to drink alcohol-containing drinks.
Ethanol contributes to the disruption of nighttime sleep, which promotes the production of cytokines. These are specific proteins that activate the immune response to pathogens. Their absence 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 for several days (a typical situation of excessive drinking) provokes the opposite situation. Enzymes break down the drug faster, resulting in a decrease in the substance needed for recovery in the body. This provokes a slowdown in the healing process and in some cases 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 decomposition of the drug slows down. The result of this is a rapid increase in the amount of active medicinal ingredients in the blood. This leads to a slowing down of the healing process, and in some cases provokes an increase in resistance to antibacterial drugs.
Increased likelihood of developing side effects of medications
Different groups of antibiotics in some cases can provoke the following side effects:
- Allergic reactions (for example, skin rash);
- Oral candidiasis;
- Appearance of dyspeptic disorders: diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
- The appearance of dysbiosis due to the breakdown of intestinal microflora;
- Acute headache, dizziness, lack of sleep at night, drowsiness during the day;
- Disorders in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
- Changes in the urinary organs (infrequent or frequent urination) and in the musculoskeletal system (myalgia and arthralgia).
If a patient drinks a drink containing alcohol during treatment for a bacterial infection, the likelihood of unpleasant reactions occurring increases. This shows once again that you should not combine the use of the drug with a drink containing alcohol.
How long after stopping the antibiotic can I drink alcohol?
The 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 should wait at least a week before drinking alcohol. This waiting period is necessary so that the patient's body is completely cleansed of antibiotic residues and the patient avoids a possible reaction - a disulfiram-like effect. According to drug groups, the waiting time is as follows:
- A person who has no history of chronic disease and has not had chemotherapy or radiation in the past 12 months can drink a small amount of alcohol 24 hours after finishing antibiotic therapy.
- Patients prescribed Metronidazole should avoid drinking alcohol for 2 days after the last injection or tablet.
- After the end of the course of therapy with Tinidazole, 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 dietary supplements. Therefore, the question of the advisability of taking them during a course of antibiotic therapy or immediately after its completion should be discussed with your doctor.
With which antibacterial drugs can you drink alcohol?
There have been no in-depth studies confirming that the simultaneous use of ethanol and drugs that relieve bacterial infections poses a threat to health. There was an experiment with mice. It was performed 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, since the effects of their simultaneous use have not been sufficiently studied. Time and accumulated statistics are needed to determine their possible interactions. However, to avoid trouble, before combining Bacteriophage with alcohol, you should consult your doctor.
There are a number of other drugs to treat bacterial infections that have not been shown to have a negative interaction with alcohol. The notes for the 5 most prescribed drugs do not contain any contraindications directly related to ethyl alcohol. These include medications that contain the following substances:
- Cephalexin.
- Amoxicillin.
- Ciprofloxacin.
- Azithromycin.
- Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.
You can also take cough and cold medicines that contain ethanol with these antibacterial agents. However, you should understand that alcohol present in the body simultaneously with the active ingredient of antibiotics can create an increased load on all systems and provoke damage to liver tissue. So is it worth the risk and mixing these 2 substances?
What drugs stop alcohol?
There are some antibiotic drugs that can interact directly with ethanol. During treatment, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol in any quantity. These include drugs 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 coma.
- Aminoglycosides. These drugs are also incompatible with other medications, especially with drinks containing ethyl alcohol.
- Cycloserine. It is used in the treatment of pulmonary infections and tuberculosis. In combination with alcohol, it leads to the appearance of convulsive syndrome.
- Lincosamides. Antibiotics of 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-cell pathological microorganisms. It is included in the group of drugs prescribed for the relief of the patient from Helicobacteriosis.
- Metronidazole 250 mg. An antimicrobial drug used to treat vaginal and dental infections. It is added to ointments and gels used to treat bedsores and trophic ulcers.
- Cephalosporins provoke severe alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol consumed during a course of treatment with these drugs causes sharp "jumps" in blood pressure. Side reactions occur even when the drug is applied externally.
What should be done in case of simultaneous use?
Conscious unwillingness to listen to the doctor's advice or inattention can create a situation where antibiotics and alcohol enter the stomach at the same time. A person who performs a dangerous mixture does not necessarily feel ill immediately. If such a situation occurs, you should 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 weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Induce artificial vomiting.
- Take enterosorbent (you can finely grind active 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 taken and explain why and what time it happened. The doctor will decide whether the dose should be adjusted in a particular case.
It is good if you have the opportunity to donate blood for analysis. His results will make it possible to understand if the combination of an antibacterial drug and ethanol had a negative effect on the blood count. But if, immediately after a dangerous combination, pronounced negative signs appear from the digestive, cardiovascular or nervous system, it is better to call an ambulance. This is especially true for people with a history of allergies or diabetes, as their body may react in unpredictable ways due to increased sensitivity.
It should be remembered that the combined use of alcohol and antibiotics is very dangerous, as it provokes an increased load on the somatic organs, especially the liver. You can drink a little alcohol once, as it will not cause dangerous consequences or side effects. But it is better to first take a course of antibiotic therapy and then relax.