The Crank Drug Interaction Guide
for Bad Drunks with No Regard for Themselves

Drinking tonight? Note these drug interactions:

Acetaminophen
Drinking too much alcohol may increase the risk of liver damage from high doses of acetaminophen. Alcohol increases the level of an enzyme that turns acetaminophen into a toxic substance. Furthermore, livers already weakened by hepatitis or other viruses are especially vulnerable.*

Note: Acetaminophen isn't just in Tylenol, but also Excedrin and a slew of other OTC and prescription drugs. Check the label, especially for the 'scripted pills, since they're not required to include a warning on the bottle itself.

Chlorpropamide
Use of alcohol can cause flushing, hypotension, nausea and vomiting.

DDI (Videx)
Use of alcohol may increase risk of pancreatitis.

Isocarboxazid, Phenelzine, Tranylcypromine
Avoid wine, which is rich in tyramine, because tyramine can cause potentially lethal increases in blood pressure, headache, vomiting, possibly death.

Isoniazid (INH)
Use of alcohol may increase risk of isoniazid-associated hepatitis.

Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Use of alcohol may increase risk of nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure.

Metronidazole
Use of alcohol can cause flushing, hypotension, nausea and vomiting.

Procarbazine
Do not drink alcoholic beverages, including beer and wines, as they can cause very dangerous reactions.

Prozac
Using alcohol and Prozac together may increase the possibility of side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, as well as the possibility of causing impairment of judgment.

Going Through chemo? Consider this:
While small amounts of alcohol can help you relax and increase your appetite, alcohol may interact with some drugs to reduce their effectiveness or worsen their side effects. For this reason, some people must drink less alcohol or avoid alcohol completely during chemotherapy. Be sure to ask your doctor if it's okay for you to drink beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages.

Planning on a long life? Then get ready:
While memory loss is an important marker for depression, alcohol also leads to forgetfulness and should always be considered when examining an individual's problems with memory and retention.

Heavy drinking is associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver. Cancer risk is especially high for heavy drinkers who smoke.

The risk of obstruction of the prostate due to enlargement is increased by the consumption of alcohol.

Alcoholism has been linked to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), but definite proof has not been found.

Recommended Vitamins for Drunks:
To counteract the effects of alcohol on your system, you might consider supplementing your diet B-complex vitamins and folic acid, since alcohol increases their turnover in your body.

For a more complete list, click here.

* But then again, a certain Antonio Benedi was awarded eight-point-eight million bucks after losing his liver due to taking Tylenol and drinking wine. Though the plaintiff's lawyers claim that Mr. Benedi was a "moderate" drinker--two to four glasses of wine each day--the smart money just knows that he was a pill-popping boozer. So, while there's a strong precedent set--one lost liver against some nine million clams--your chances of finding a second sympathetic jury are slim. Maybe you should just skip the Tylenol. I do.