How a drug interacts and reacts in a human body depends on many factors. When you consume a medicine a specific enzyme is produced in the liver or intestines to metabolize the medication. Certain foods or drug supplements control the effect of a medication in your body either by preventing the production of drug-metabolizing enzymes or stimulating its production.
Secondly, certain medications are there that interfere with the stimulation of enzymes that break down other medications hampering the effect of the latter. Lastly, your unique genetic profile affects the way specific medication reacts to your body. However, it is not completely out of your reach to avoid drug interactions. Following are some essential tips on how to avoid adverse drug interactions.
Useful Tips to Avoid Drug Interactions
Adverse drug interaction leads to harmful side effects in your body. Adopting certain useful habits would enable you to avoid drug interactions.
Know why you are Taking Specific Medication
You must be aware of what medication you are taking and why it has been administered to you. Consuming the wrong medication will hurt your drug interaction. If you are taking multiple medications then there is a high chance to mistake one medication for the other. For instance, Clonidine is a medicine for controlling blood pressure which can be confused with Klonopin, a medicine for panic attacks. Thus, you must make a habit of marking your pill bottles with the reason for which you are taking the medication.
Maintain Prescribed order and Timing of Medication
Food influences drug interaction thus, it is extremely crucial to follow the instructions regarding the timing of medication. Your doctor mentions specific timing and whether to take a medicine with food or to maintain a gap between meals and medication. By following this simple instruction you can avoid drug interactions. For instance, certain medication that checks bone loss will be ineffective if consumed with milk, coffee, or fruit juices. Alternatively, some drugs are better to consume after a meal like paracetamol to protect the inner lining of the stomach from irritation.
Be Caution with Supplements
Supplements can significantly influence drug reactions. Many people take supplements over the counter without informing their physicians. This becomes problematic for your physicians to understand why you are having certain drug interactions. Moreover, this goes unaccounted in the drug interactions data-base since it is not a FDA-approved medication. Thus, it is recommended that you avoid taking supplements except those that are prescribed by the doctor.
Control Alcohol Intake
Excessive alcohol intake is also a reason for drug interactions. It causes drowsiness and affects the lining of the oesophagus and stomach. Many antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications have the same effect and alcohol can interfere with the production of enzymes that metabolize these medications. Additionally, medication like aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also get affected by drug-alcohol interaction and intensify your drowsiness.
Getting PGx Testing Done
PGx testing provides you and your doctor with a comprehensive report with detailed genetic information that enables your doctor to prescribe personalized drugs that are compatible with your gene. Since genes play an important role in drug interaction rate, having specific genetic information would enable you to have effective medication and avoid drug interactions. Thus, you must get Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing done before you visit your doctor. It is a one-time test providing lifelong security against adverse drug interactions.
No Need to Avoid Grapefruit Juice
There is a common worry about grapefruit juice influencing drug interactions. Many people tend to avoid grapefruit juice to avoid drug interactions. However, there is no need to rigidly avoid this delicious juice. You should ask your doctor if any prescribed medication can be affected by the juice or not. Even if it does, you can still enjoy this delicious juice by maintaining a gap of an hour or so after taking the medications.
Conclusion
Our lifestyle and habits influence a lot of our metabolic functions. How a specific drug interacts in our body is also influenced and can be controlled by rectifying lifestyle issues. Taking your medication as prescribed and instructed by your doctor is the safest way to avoid drug interactions.
Additionally, you can also help your doctors with a comprehensive PGx testing report. It enables your physician to offer personalized gene-specific medication that significantly reduces the chances of drug interactions.
