Drug Drug interactions.
Drug Drug interactions are very important aspect of medication if one do not avoid drug interactions then medicines itself pose serious risk.
Let’s look at the few cases of drug drug interactions in medicines prescribed to a patient. Which contained Diclophenac 50 mg in combination with Paracetamol 325 mg. The diclofenac is given by the doctor as anti-inflammatory. But it is in combination with paracetamol. While the same doctor prescribed plain paracetamol tablets as antipyretic to the same patient the dose was 500 mg. Thus the total dosage of Paracetamol at one go for this patient will be 825 mg. This is something serious.
The doctors prescribe drugs without thinking about drug drug interactions. Without looking at the content of the combination. Such a scenario will be more difficult in the event of anti-diabetic medicines.
Suppose a person taking medication taking two anti-diabetic tablets which contained metformin 500 mg in both tablets, while the other, one as a metformin alone and in combination with another drug. The patient was receiving 1000 mg metformin every dose. And the patient falls sick and sufferers hyperglycemia. After checking the medicines immediately medicines are withdrawn, the man who was self-medicating stops other medicines containing metformin. Recovers from the illness, nausia and weakness.
These are some likely events in medicine, dosage argumentation due to overlook which are not actually drug drug interactions but
Therefore, while giving medicines first one must thoroughly check if the combination medicines they are prescribing do not overload the drug or double the dose of drug, due to combination.
The role of pharmacist is prominent here, in setups where pharmacists are not part of the healthcare system, only doctors prescribe drugs and explain to patients how to take medicines, this is an important factor to consider.
Always Cross check the combination drugs before giving it to the patient. It’s likely that patients are given one medicine given by one doctor and follow taking those medicines. In such events ask patients to show all medicine he is taking. This is important to know the patient’s medication history and also for deciding line of therapy.
Which other medicines are likely to affect the treatment.
Concomitant administration of multivitamin tablets and antibiotics:
If multivitamin medicines are given to a patient who is feeling weak and simultaneously he is being treated with antibiotics for bacterial infection. Then this will not work. Concomitant administration of multivitamin and antibiotic will nullify the effect of antibiotic by multivitamin tablet or liquid oral medicine. As it will boost the growth of bacterial infection. There should be a gap of at least 7 hours between antibiotic and multivitamin and depending on the aim of treatment, if the doctor wants to treat the weakness or to treat the infection.
Caffeine and Angiotensin 2 inhibitors, Lisinopril enalapril both will nullify the action of one another, putting load on the kidney.
Painkiller drugs along with antacids containing aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide.
Food and drug interactions.
Aspirin should not be taken with carbonated drinks as the drug may react with carbonated drinks or along with oral antacid.
Since the antiretroviral drug therapy is based on combination therapy, the drug which augments liver enzyme production and their action on the same level should be avoided.
We will be publishing a list of drugs which should not be given along with each other. It will help to know in detail, the information provided here is unique and written by Pharmacists and Doctors.
