Painkillers and Alcohol

Taking painkillers and alcohol together.  This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health.  Many a patient asks many a doctor whether it’s okay to drink alcohol while using many drugs. Indeed, there are drug categories which raise red flags when it comes also to imbibing alcohol. Some painkillers are among them.

The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics has reviewed the taking of alcohol along with acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Acetaminophen, the best known brand of which is Tylenol, does have the relative advantage of causing little to no stomach irritation, but acetaminophen in excessive doses or in conjunction with other drugs, such as alcohol, can cause liver damage. The Medical Letter says that regular consumption of alcohol lowers the threshold for acetaminophen induced liver damage because of its effect on certain liver enzymes. Serious liver damage has been reported in people who both use acetaminophen regularly and drink excessively.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other drugs which reduce inflammation and pain, but also can damage the lining of the stomach. And alcohol intake on top of a variety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can make you bleed from the gut; the more you bleed, the greater the pain and risk. Bottom line here: if you take painkillers, keep your drinking to a minimum. If you’re a heavy drinker, be careful with your painkillers. For a copy of this script, access our website, speakingofhealth.com. Speaking of Health, I’m Dr. Steven Andrew Davis for CBS News.