Medications prescribed by your doctor are typically safe and effective when used appropriately. However, when combined with alcohol, they could be harmful. Additionally, over-the-counter (without a prescription) medications and herbal remedies can also have harmful effects when combined with alcohol.

Effects of Alcohol when Combined with Medications

• Alcohol can make you drowsy or lightheaded just as some medicines can.
• Small amounts of alcohol can make it dangerous to drive. Some medications contain up to 10% of alcohol with some of the highest alcohol concentrations in cough syrup and laxatives.
• Alcohol effects women differently making them more susceptible to alcohol-related damage to organs such as the liver.
• Older people face a greater risk for harmful alcohol and medication interactions which can lead to can lead to falls and serious injuries.
• Alcohol and medicines can interact harmfully even if they are not taken at the same time.

So, what do Advil, Robitussin, cholesterol medicines and Ambien all have in common? They’re all medicines you shouldn’t take with alcohol. And there are several other medicines on that list, too.

Commonly Used Medicines (Both Prescription and Over-the-Counter) That Interact with Alcohol

Allergies/Cold/Flu

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness; increased risk for overdose.

• Alavert
• Atarx
• Benadryl
• Claritin
• Dimetapp Cold & Allergy
• Sudafed Sinus & Allergy
• Tylenol Allergy Sinus
• Tylenol Cold & Flu
• Isordil

Chest Pain (Angina), Coronary Heart Disease

Symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure, dizziness and fainting.

Anxiety

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness, increased risk for overdose, slowed or difficulty breathing, impaired motor control and memory problems.

• Ativan
• Klonopin
• Paxil
• Valium
• Xanax

Arthritis

Symptoms: Ulcers, stomach bleeding and liver damage.

• Celebrex
• Naprosyn
• Coumadin

Blood Clots

Symptoms: Possible blood clots, strokes, or heart attacks. Occasional drinking may lead to internal bleeding. Heavier drinking may cause bleeding or may have the opposite side effect.

Cough

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness and increase the risk for overdose when combined with alcohol.

• Delsym
• Robitussin Cough
• Robitussin A-C

Depression

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness, increase the risk for overdose, increase feelings of depression or hopelessness, impaired motor control, increased alcohol effect, and liver damage.

• Abilify
• Celexa
• Clozaril
• Effexor
• Geodon
• Invega
• Lexapro
• Luvox
• Paxil
• Pristiq
• Prozac
• Wellbutrin
• Zoloft
• Zyprexa

Diabetes

Symptoms: Abnormally low blood sugar levels, nausea, vomiting, headache, rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure, and weakness.

• Glucotrol
• Glucophage
• Glynase, Micronase

Enlarged Prostate

Symptoms: Dizziness, fainting and drowsiness with mixed with alcohol.

• Cardura
• Flomax

Heartburn, Indigestion, Sour Stomach

Symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, sudden changes in blood pressure and an increased alcohol effect.

• Reglan
• Tagamet

High Cholesterol

Symptoms: Liver damage, increased flushing and itching, and increased stomach pain.

• Crestor
• Lipitor
• Pravachol
• Pravigard
• Zocor

Muscle Pain

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness, increase the risk of seizures, slowed or difficulty breathing, impaired motor control, and memory problems.

• Flexeril
• Soma

Nausea, Motion Sickness

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness, and increased risk for overdose.

• Antivert
• Dramamine
• Phenergan

Pain (Muscle Ache, Minor Arthritis Pain), Fever, Inflammation

Symptoms: Upset stomach, bleeding and ulcers, liver damage and rapid heartbeat.

• Advil
• Aleve
• Excedrin
• Motrin
• Tylenol

Severe Pain, Migraines

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness, increase the risk for overdose, slow difficulty breathing, memory problems and impaired motor control.

• Demerol
• Fiorinal with codeine
• Percocet
• Vicodin

Seizures

Symptoms: Drowsiness, dizziness, increased risk of seizures, unusual behavior and changes in mental health (such as thoughts of suicide).

• Dilantin
• Neurontin
• Keppra
• Lamictal
• Lyrica

Sleep Problems

Symptoms: Drowsiness, sleepiness, dizziness, slowed or difficulty breathing, impaired motor control and memory problems.

• Ambien
• Lunesta
• Prosom
• Restoril
• Unisom

To avoid inadvertent mixing of medications with alcohol, remember the following:

1. Read the label on the medication bottle to find out exactly what ingredients a medicine contains.
2. Ask your pharmacistif you have any questions about how alcohol might interact with a drug you are taking.