Stay Informed, Stay Safe: The Essentials of Drug Interactions

Jacob Cleveland, Pharmacy Intern and Patricia Powers, PharmD, BCPS, Senior Director, Clinical Services

Medicines help us feel better and stay healthy. But did you know that what you eat or other medicines you take can change how a medicine works in your body? This is called a drug interaction.

A drug interaction happens when something changes the way a medicine works. This can make the medicine too strong, too weak, or cause side effects. There are three main types of drug interactions:

1. Drug-Drug Interaction: This happens when one medicine affects how another medicine works. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
2. Drug-Food Interaction: This happens when a medicine reacts with food, drinks, or supplements like vitamins.
3. Drug-Condition Interaction: This happens when a health problem, like kidney or liver disease, affects how a medicine works.

If drug interactions are not managed, they can cause health problems or make you feel worse. That's why it's important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting or stopping any medicine, vitamin, or supplement. They can make sure everything you take works well together and keeps you safe.