Should you “Raise A Toast” for Your Health?
T
here are two popular opinions about alcohol usage when it relates to health. “Alcohol consumption leads to alcoholism and death,” “A little glass of wine is good for your heart.” These are so different, so which is correct? There could be some truth to both, but the answer is not that simple when it comes to alcohol usage and its impact on certain medications. Alcohol is considered a Central Nervous System depressant, which means that it slows down brain function and neural activity. Since the alcohol is going in your bloodstream, this means it will travel through organs, such as the brain, heart, liver, and pancreas. This may explain why people want a drink to relax in the evening. Coincidentally, medications also enter your bloodstream and are processed by organs, such as the liver. This is why alcohol can, at times, cause complications if you are taking certain medications. To complicate matters, some medications stay in the system for an extended period of time, which means that using alcohol during any part of the day could be problematic. However, it is safe to say if you take an OverThe-Counter medication (e.g. Tylenol) or even a prescription medication there is a potential for an adverse medication interaction with alcohol. So, how would you know? One step could be to visit the National Institute of Health’s website about possible medications that could cause interactions. This would NOT be the only step, as it is imperative that you consult with your pharmacist about all Over-TheCounter medications, prescriptions, and herbal/alternative medications that you are taking. This would include a candid discussion of your alcohol consumption on a weekly basis. Only a pharmacist would be well versed to have this discussion as one person may
react differently than another person (e.g. age, gender, other health issues). When you completely understand your medications and the reactions with mixing alcohol, you can safely
[ Healthy Living ] BY AMANDA BUCK SPONSORED BY CANNON PHARMACY
plan accordingly and confidently say, “Cheers to my health.” *For further information about this subject, please visit: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov
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April 2020 | 13
