[Improper Use of Medications with Alcohol at a Rural Office]

Overview

Journal Aten Primaria

Specialty Public Health

Date 2000 Jun 15

PMID 10853501

Authors

I Robles Gomez

J L Sanchez Ramos

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of the joint use of alcohol and medication with the risk of interaction with alcohol, the social and personal features of patients most likely to use the two combined, and the extent of anti-alcohol medical counselling of these patients.

Design: Prevalence study.

Setting: Primary care. Rural local clinic at Trigueros (Huelva).

Participants: 581 histories of patients over 14, started between October 1993 and December 1996.

Measurements And Main Results: From the clinical histories we obtained the social and personal features, toxic habits, type and number of medicines prescribed, and whether or not there was medical counselling on alcohol consumption. Potential interactions were looked for through the list provided by Mengual Sandra and Gila Azañedo. 10.15% (95% CI, 7.8-12.9) of the subjects consumed at the same time medication with risk of interaction and alcohol. Males (OR = 7.1), over-65s (OR = 4.9), married people (OR = 3.1) and smokers (OR = 2.3) were more likely to combine alcohol and at-risk medication. 6.8% of the patients with potential risk of interaction were counselled against alcohol.

Conclusions: The simultaneous use of alcohol (as drinks or a component of medicine) and at-risk drugs is a common reality in primary care. Men, the over-65s, smokers and married people are at greater risk. Medical counselling of patients at potential risk of interaction is quite rare, although it is greater than of drinkers who do not take at-risk medicines.

References

Ernouf D . [Alcohol-drug interactions]. Therapie. 1995; 50(3):199-202. View

Bueno Ortiz J, Auba Llambrich J, Altaba Barcelo A, Boneu Castells M, Cabaco Reverte C, Manzano Sarciada A . [A multicenter primary care study on alcohol consumption]. Aten Primaria. 1997; 19(2):80-3. View

Gutierrez-Fisac J . [Alcohol consumption indicators in Spain]. Med Clin (Barc). 1995; 104(14):544-50. View

Pelkonen O, SOTANIEMI E . Drug metabolism in alcoholics. Pharmacol Ther. 1982; 16(2):261-8. DOI: 10.1016/0163-7258(82)90057-2. View

Stein B . Avoiding drug reactions: seven steps to writing safe prescriptions. Geriatrics. 1994; 49(9):28-30, 33-6. View

Forster L, Pollow R, Stoller E . Alcohol use and potential risk for alcohol-related adverse drug reactions among community-based elderly. J Community Health. 1993; 18(4):225-39. DOI: 10.1007/BF01324433. View

Barry M . Interactions of drugs with alcohol. Practitioner. 1991; 235(1500):270-2. View

Del Rio M, Prada C, Alvarez F . The use of medication and alcohol among the Spanish population. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1996; 41(3):253-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1996.tb00193.x. View

Trovato A, Nuhlicek D, Midtling J . Drug-nutrient interactions. Am Fam Physician. 1991; 44(5):1651-8. View

10.

Pollow R, Stoller E, Forster L, Duniho T . Drug combinations and potential for risk of adverse drug reaction among community-dwelling elderly. Nurs Res. 1994; 43(1):44-9. View

11.

Hussar D . Reviewing drug interactions. Nursing. 1993; 23(9):50-7. DOI: 10.1097/00152193-199309000-00019. View

12.

Adams W . Potential for adverse drug-alcohol interactions among retirement community residents. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995; 43(9):1021-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1995.tb05567.x. View

13.

Gual A, Colom J . Why has alcohol consumption declined in countries of southern Europe?. Addiction. 1997; 92 Suppl 1:S21-31. View