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Alcohol and medicines

Key points about alcohol and medicines

Taking some medicines with alcohol can cause problems.
In most cases, it can increase the risk of side effects but it could also change the effect the medicine has.
Some liquid medicines may have alcohol in them that can be an issue for some people.
If you have concerns about alcohol and medicines, talk to your pharmacist. Find out how alcohol and medicines.

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Taking some medicines with alcohol can cause problems. In most cases, it can increase the risk of side effects but it could also change the effect the medicine has. Read more below about how alcohol affects some medicines.

Some liquid medicines may have alcohol in them. Alcohol may be included as a preservative, or to help the active ingredient dissolve. It is often referred to as an inactive ingredient (or excipient) in medicines. Read more below about medicines that contain alcohol.

Alcohol interacts with many medicines, including prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and herbal remedies. Alcohol can affect the way some medicines are absorbed by your body and broken down in your liver.

If you drink alcohol regularly, and especially if you drink excessive amounts, your liver produces more enzymes to get rid of the alcohol more quickly.
These enzymes may also break down the medicine you are taking so it no longer has the same effect.
Alcohol affects the way your brain works and slows down your body’s reaction times and responses.
Some types of medicines also affect your brain, and if you’re drinking alcohol these effects may be increased.

Alcohol can increase the risk of side effects, for example:

sleepiness, drowsiness, dizziness and falls
nausea and vomiting
headaches
changes in blood pressure and blood glucose
mood changes
loss of coordination (which can cause accidents).

Mixing alcohol and some medicines may also increase the risk of complications such as liver problems, stomach problems, heart problems and depression.

Read more about alcohol and its effects.

Who is at greatest risk of harmful effects?

Women, older people and people with liver problems and some long-term conditions are at greatest risk of harmful effects from alcohol.

You are also at greater risk of these harmful effects if you drink a lot of alcohol, are not eating well or are taking a lot of different types of medicines.
In older adults alcohol may increase your risk of falls and serious injury.
Older adults don't metabolise alcohol as quickly as younger adults do, so alcohol stays in your system longer and has a greater risk of interacting with medicines.
Alcohol use also may trigger or worsen certain medical conditions.

How can I avoid problems with alcohol and medicines?

Always read the label of your medicine, including OTC and herbal medicines. If your medicine has a warning label to avoid alcohol, then it's best to avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking the medicine.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are worried about the effects of alcohol with your medicines. Make sure you tell them all the medicines you are taking, including OTC, prescription and herbal medicines.
If in doubt, don’t drink alcohol. If you can't find the information you need or you can't contact a health professional, it's best to avoid alcohol until you can be certain that it won’t affect your medicine.

Some liquid medicines may have alcohol in them. Alcohol may be included as a preservative, or to help the active ingredients dissolve. It's often referred to as an inactive ingredient (or excipient) in medicines. Read more about excipients in medicines.

Note: In medicines, alcohol is sometimes called ethanol, which is the scientific name for alcohol.

For some people, alcohol in some medicines may be a concern, for example:

in babies, younger children and adolescents
if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
if you have a problem with alcohol addiction
if you're taking medicines that could interact with alcohol, eg, disulfiram
for cultural reasons, eg, for people of the Muslim faith.

If you need to avoid alcohol, tell your pharmacist when you're starting a new medicine or brand. There could be another option available — sometimes different brands of the same medicine may use different inactive ingredients.

How can I find out if my medicine contains alcohol?

If you would like to know if your medicine has alcohol, your doctor, pharmacist or other health professional will be able to help you. You can usually find these in the following places.

Medicine box or packaging: Medicines released after 1 March 2024 have a warning on the medicine box or packaging for some ingredients.
Consumer medicine information (CMI): If there's a consumer leaflet for your medicine, check the ‘Ingredients’ section near the end of the leaflet. You can also search for the CMI on the Medsafe website(external link).
Data sheet (prescribing information): The medicine data sheet (prescribing information) lists the ingredients in the ‘Pharmaceutical Particulars’. You can search for the data sheet on the Medsafe website(external link).
Contact the pharmaceutical company.