08:30 p.m
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Books – Ahmed Gomaa:
The Egyptian Medicines Authority said that sometimes food plays a role in inhibiting or accelerating the action of enzymes that receive the drug to convert it into an active substance, which affects the effectiveness of the drug depending on the type of effect on these enzymes.
This came in the guideline published by the Egyptian Medicines Authority, today, regarding the most famous drug interactions with foods, as a reference document for the most important tips that the patient needs to avoid side effects resulting from the interaction of drugs with some foods.
She said that if the food speeds up the action of the enzymes, the medicine breaks down quickly and its effectiveness decreases, but if the food stabilizes the action of the enzymes, the effect of the medicine in the body is prolonged, which may lead to side effects, or interference with other medicines, so the effect of some medicines varies by eating or not.
The authority stated that some medicines may work faster, slower, better, or even worse when you take them on an empty stomach or full of food, and there are some medicines that should be taken while eating so as not to harm the stomach. danger.
She demonstrated this by saying:
Eating large amounts of fiber from oats and other grains affects the absorption of digoxin, a drug used for a number of heart conditions
Eating milk and other dairy products may reduce the absorption of levothyroxine used to treat hypothyroidism and some antibiotics such as tetracycline.
Eating foods rich in tyramine – a type of amino acid such as processed cheese and cured meats, may cause severe headaches and a significant increase in blood pressure in patients taking certain blood pressure medications.
* Avoid eating food rich in potassium such as bananas, potatoes and tomatoes with heart medications because they increase potassium levels in the blood
* It is preferable to take captopril one hour before food
* While carvedilol should be taken with food to reduce a significant drop in blood pressure