But researchers couldn't determine if people surveyed were using both simultaneously
HealthDay – Not on Site
By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- A substantial number of Americans who drink also take medications that should not be mixed with alcohol, new government research suggests.
The study, of nearly 27,000 U.S. adults, found that among current drinkers, about 43 percent were on prescription medications that interact with alcohol. Depending on the medication, that mix can cause side effects ranging from drowsiness and dehydration to depressed breathing and lowered heart rate.
It's not clear how many people were drinking and taking their medications around the same time -- or even on the same day, the researchers stressed.
"But this does tell us how big the problem could potentially be," said study co-author Aaron White, a neuroscientist at the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
He and his colleagues report the findings in the February online edition of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
Alcohol is a bad mix with many different types of medications, White said.
The consequences vary, according to the NIAAA. For instance, drinking while taking sedatives -- such as sleeping pills or prescription painkillers like Vicodin or OxyContin -- can cause dizziness, drowsiness or breathing problems. Mixing alcohol with diabetes drugs, such as metformin (Glucophage), can send blood sugar levels too low or trigger nausea, headaches or a rapid heartbeat.
Alcohol is also a bad mix with common pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), because of the potential for ulcers and stomach bleeding, noted Karen Gunning, a professor of pharmacotherapy at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
But for any ill effects to happen, the alcohol and medication would have to be active in the body at the same time, said Gunning, who was not involved in the study. And it's not clear how often that was true for the people in the survey.
Still, Gunning said the findings highlight an important issue: People should be aware of whether their medications are a dangerous mix with alcohol.
"This all comes down to having a discussion with your doctor or pharmacist," Gunning said.
source : Many Americans Who Drink Also Take Prescription Medications: Study
