

Levels of these medications could build up unexpectedly and lead to adverse reactions if they are taken with grapefruit juice. “Components of grapefruit juice affect an enzyme that is responsible for the metabolism of a number of drugs, including Seldane (terfenadine), Adalat (nifedipine), Procardia (nifedipine), and Plendil (felodipine). Grapefruit and Other Drugs: In that decades-old column, we added this warning about grapefruit: The heart palpitations that resulted could have led to a lethal change in heart rhythm. But Bruce unwittingly flirted with death when he swallowed his Seldane with grapefruit juice (GJ). No one had told him that Cipro would boost caffeine levels in his system and lead to a prolonged effect.Īlthough unsettling, this interaction was not serious. He felt jittery and uncomfortable, and had trouble holding the camera steady. He was surprised when he was wired for hours after his usual double cappuccino. The only instructions on either prescription were: “Take two times a day.”īruce liked a strong cup of coffee to get going in the morning. His doctor prescribed Seldane to control the allergies and Cipro for an ear infection. Because Bruce suffered from allergies, he was vulnerable to sinusitis. He had to be both focused and calm to get the best shots for his news magazine.
#Grapefruit and statins professional#
We went on to describe the story of Bruce, a professional photographer. Check the average prescription and you will find instructions that are inadequate, ambiguous or incomplete.” Bruce Dodged the Grapefruit Bullet: But they don’t admit that they are partly to blame. They cite statistics that 125,000 people die every year because of medication mistakes. “Physicians and pharmacists often complain that patients don’t take their medicine properly. Here’s what stirred up the hornet’s nest: We wrote a newspaper column nearly 30 years ago that made many doctors mad as hornets. Grapefruit and Drug Interactions Stir People Up: For example, can you take simvastatin or atorvastatin with grapefruit juice? It’s much more complicated than you might think. That is especially true when it comes to statins.
#Grapefruit and statins how to#
Instructions about how to take medicine can be very confusing. Patients may feel like they are also on a conveyer belt when it comes to taking pills. Some pharmacists have confided to us that they feel like they are in an I love Lucy skit like this one where Lucy and Ethel wrap chocolates. Physicians and pharmacists are super busy these days.
