Drug interactions — problems of pharmacology

With the advances in medical science, there exists a large number of drugs to treat many health conditions. Research by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that at least 48.7% of US citizens used at least one prescription within the last one month. An average of 21.8 percent of Americans make use of at least three different medications. It is good that there are many options for treatment of health conditions, but the efficacy of these medications also raises the possibility of drug interactions.

Drug interactions refers to the combination of medications with other medications or substances that alter the effect of the original medication on the body. It could either raise or decrease the potency of the medication. It could also trigger some side effects which may or may not be harmful. Patients who make use of multiple medications are advised to be mindful of their medications. They should ensure that the doctor is aware of drugs are in use by the patient.

Types of drug interactions

The first on the list is the drug-drug interaction. This is simply a reaction occurring between two or more drugs. It can involve herbs, over the counter medications, supplements or vitamins. An instance may be in a patient who takes a diuretic (a drug that rids the body of excess water and salt) and Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen may reduce the potency of the diuretic and cause retention of fluid and salt in the body.

The next type of interaction is the drug-food interaction. This occurs when food eaten alters the efficacy of some drugs. For instance, a person taking statins to minimize the cholesterol level in the body and drinks a generous amount of grapefruit juice may cause retention of a large dose of the drug within the body. This may raise the person’s risk for liver damage or kidney failure.

Drug-disease interaction: Use of some medications may worsen a disease condition. For instance, some decongestants used for cold may raise blood pressure. This is a potentially dangerous interaction for hypertensive patients.

How many new drugs have been approved in recent years?
Since 2010, more than 250 pharmacological agents came onto the market. In 2017, no less than 49 novel medicines won a green light. The European Union recommended 92 new drugs including generics, an increase from 81. Therefore, drug interactions are becoming always a bigger issue.