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Caring for an aging parent? Tips for enjoying holiday meals. Grapefruit can increase the side effects of some statin cholesterol medications, causing muscle damage.
Most types of blood pressure medicines are not affected by grapefruit. The first two medications in this list are known as calcium channel blockers. They work by changing the way your blood vessels use calcium, relaxing the vessels, and relieving blood pressure.
The last two medications in this list work by decreasing the activity of a hormone called angiotensin 2, which naturally increases blood pressure. One study found blood levels of nifedipine increased dramatically when taken with about 2 cups mL of grapefruit juice, compared with no juice.
This resulted in a rapid drop in blood pressure, which could be dangerous if unsupervised 6. Losartan is unusual in that grapefruit decreases its effects, potentially limiting its ability to control blood pressure 7. Eplerenone works similarly to losartan, but its levels increase when taken with grapefruit.
Excessive eplerenone levels can cause too much potassium in the blood, which can interfere with heart rhythm 1. Alternatives: Spironolactone Aldactone , a similar drug to losartan and eplerenone, does not interact with grapefruit.
Amlodipine Norvasc is a calcium channel blocker like felodipine and nifedipine, which also does not interact with grapefruit 6 , 8. Though grapefruit does not interfere with most blood pressure medications, it can cause a few medications to overcorrect blood pressure.
A study gave 11 men who were taking amiodarone a glass of grapefruit juice about mL. These two medications play a critical role in managing the health of patients with heart rhythm disorders. Grapefruit-related changes in levels of these drugs have occasionally caused dangerous heart rhythm changes Although only a few heart rhythm medications interact with grapefruit, the side effects can be dangerous.
Collectively called antimicrobials, these anti-infection medications vary widely in their actions and breakdown in the body. Although antimicrobials are one of the most diverse categories of medications, there are only a few medications with known important grapefruit interactions:. Erythromycin is used to treat several types of bacterial infections. Excess levels of this medication can disrupt heart rhythm Grapefruit also increases levels of the HIV medications rilpivirine and maraviroc, in addition to primaquine-related antimalarial drugs.
This may affect heart rhythm or function 1. Alternatives: Clarithromycin is a medication in the same class as erythromycin that does not interact with grapefruit. Doxycycline is both an antibiotic and antimalarial drug that also does not interact with it 1. Some anti-infection medications should not be used with grapefruit, as they can lead to disrupted heart rhythm or function.
Drugs like quetiapine and lurasidone are used to treat mood and behavioral disorders. I like to drink grapefruit juice but hear that it can interfere with some prescription medications. Is that true? Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R. With Katherine Zeratsky, R. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Grapefruit.
Natural Medicines. Accessed Oct. Temple NJ, et al. Drug interactions with food and beverages. Zeratsky KA expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Grapefruit juice and medicine may not mix.
Food and Drug Administration. The severity of the interaction can be different depending on the person, the drug, and the amount of grapefruit juice you drink. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist, and read any information provided with your prescription or non-prescription OTC drug to find out:.
For example, if you drink a lot of grapefruit juice while taking certain statin drugs to lower cholesterol, too much of the drug may stay in your body, increasing your risk for liver and muscle damage that can lead to kidney failure. Many drugs are broken down metabolized with the help of a vital enzyme called CYP3A4 in the small intestine. Grapefruit juice can block the action of intestinal CYP3A4, so instead of being metabolized, more of the drug enters the blood and stays in the body longer.
The result: too much drug in your body.
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