• The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) and National Consumers League has a booklet, “Food & Drug Interactions” available online: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov. Type “food drug interactions” into “Search”.
• Read the patient ed insert that comes with your medications for food-drug warnings.
• Your pharmacist, who has access to all your medications, can check more thoroughly for potential problems than your doctor can.

“Don’t forget that ‘drugs’ include over-thecounter (OTC) drugs. A medicine doesn’t have to have a prescription to cause food-drug interactions, as we have already indicated with ibuprofen,” says Dr. Whynot.

“Finally, read OTC packages carefully. Youmight avoid liquor to prevent an alcohol/drug interaction…and then find alcohol in your cough syrup,” he concludes.

Type of Drug	Type of Food/Beverage	The Potential Danger
Certain antibiotics, including Levaquin and tetracycline	Calcium-rich foods, like milk and yogurt	Calcium decreases these drugs’ absorption. Since you are taking the drugs for a limited time, usually no more than 14 days, avoid these foods for a short time.
Cholesterol-lowering statins, like Lipitor	Grapefruit juice (both the whole fruit or bythe glass)	Grapefruit juice affects the liver’s ability to process these medications and can cause an excess drug build-up in the blood.
Antibiotics, including penicillin & erythromycin	Grapefruit juice (both the whole fruit or by the glass)	Grapefruit juice affects the liver’s ability to process these medications and can cause an excess drug build-up in the blood.
Calcium channel blockers for heart disease	Grapefruit juice (both the whole fruit or by the glass)	Grapefruit juice affects the liver’s ability to process these medications and can cause an excess drug build-up in the blood.
Beta-blockers for high blood pressure (e.g. Lopressor)	Alcohol	Alcohol can lower blood pressure dangerously when combined with these drugs.
Nitrates for heart disease (e.g., nitroglycerin)	Alcohol	Alcohol can lower blood pressure dangerously when combined with these drugs.
Triamterene, a diuretic for lowering blood pressure	Potassium-rich foods, including bananas, oranges, dark green leafy vegetables, and salt substitutes	Some diuretics lower potassium in the body, but this drug actually blocks the body’s secretion of potassium. The excess can cause heart palpitations.
ACE inhibitors (e.g., Vasotec)	Potassium-rich foods, including bananas, oranges, dark green leafy vegetables, and salt substitutes	We have people on ACE inhibitors come check their potassium two or three times a year. Also take on an empty stomach, either one hour before or two hours after meals.
Blood thinners (e.g., Coumadin)	Alcohol. Vitamin K rich foods, including broccoli, spinach and other leafy greens, and liver	Alcohol further increases blood thinning. Vitamin K promotes blood clots, counteracting your medicine’s effect, but don’t avoid it altogether. Instead ask your doctor how to mix the two.