8.30pm
Tuesday 20 December 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 was stated in the guideline published today by the Egyptian Medicines Authority on the most famous drug interactions with food, as a reference document for the most important advice that the patient needs to avoid the side effects deriving from the interaction of drugs with certain foods .
He said that if food accelerates the action of enzymes, the medicine degrades rapidly and its effectiveness decreases, but if food stabilizes the action of enzymes, the effect of medicine in the body is prolonged, which can lead to side effects or interference with other drugs, so the effect of some drugs varies according to consumption or not.
The authority said that some medicines may work faster, slower, better or even worse when taken on an empty stomach or full of food, and there are some medicines that should be taken while eating in order not to damage the stomach. .
He demonstrated this by saying:
Consuming large amounts of fiber from oats and other grains affects the absorption of digoxin, a drug used for a variety of heart ailments
Eating milk and other dairy products can reduce the absorption of levothyroxine used to treat hypothyroidism and some antibiotics such as tetracycline.
Eating foods high in tyramine, a type of amino acid such as processed cheese and cured meats, can cause severe headaches and a significant increase in blood pressure in patients taking certain blood pressure medications.
* Avoid eating potassium-rich foods such as bananas, potatoes, and tomatoes with heart medications because they raise blood potassium levels
* It is best to take captopril one hour before meals
* While carvedilol should be taken with food to reduce a significant drop in blood pressure
