Nearly a third of all adults in the United States take medications to lower their cholesterol. In adults over age 75, that statistic increases to nearly 50%.8 Combining alcohol with cholesterol medications can cause liver damage, flushing, itching, and stomach bleeding.
Talk with a doctor before combining alcohol with any cholesterol-lowering medication, including the following:
- Crestor (rosuvastatin)
- Lipitor (atorvastatin)
- Zocor (simvastatin)
- Altoprev, Mevacor, and Altocor (lovastatin)
- Vytorin (ezetimibe and simvastatin)
- Niaspan (niacin)
- Pravachol and Pravigard (pravastatin)
9. Prostate Medications
There are many medications available to treat enlarged prostates. Combining them with alcohol can cause dizziness and fainting.
Do not drink alcohol if you are taking the following medications, unless you speak with a doctor first:2
- Flomax (tamsulosin)
- Cardura (doxazosin)
- Hytrin (terazosin)
- Minipress (prazosin)
10. ADHD Medications
Medications to treat ADHD are stimulants, a broad class of drugs that increase the activity of the central nervous system. Alcohol, on the other hand, has the opposite effect—it’s a sedative. Mixing the two together can make it more likely that you will have an overdose.
Other side effects of mixing alcohol and ADHD medications together include dizziness, impaired concentration, liver damage, and heart problems.2
Talk with a doctor before mixing these medications with alcohol:
- Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine)
- Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine)
- Focalin (dexmethylphenidate)
- Concerta/Ritalin (methylphenidate)
- Strattera (atomoxetine)
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)
11. Arthritis Medications
Combining arthritis medications with alcohol can cause ulcers, liver damage, and stomach bleeding.
Do not drink alcohol while taking these medications, unless you speak with a doctor first:2
- Celebrex (celecoxib)
- Naprosyn (naproxen)
- Voltaren (diclofenac)
12. Seizure Medications
Combining alcohol with medication for seizures, including epilepsy medication, can cause serious side effects. These include dizziness, sleepiness, unusual behavior, changes in mental health status (including suicidal thoughts), and the increased risk of more seizures.
Do not combine alcohol with any of the following medications:2
- Horizant/Neurontin (gabapentin)
- Dilantin (phenytoin)
- Keppra (levetiracetam)
- Phenobarbital
- Klonopin (clonazepam)
- Lyrica (pregabalin)
- Lamictal (lamotrigine)
- Tegretol (carbamazepine)
- Topamax (topiramate)
- Barbiturates
- Trileptal (oxcarbazepine)
