Drug–food interactions

Definition

Drug–food interactions occur when the food you eat affects the ingredients in a medication you are taking, impacting how the drug works or its side effects. These interactions can either enhance or inhibit the effectiveness of the medication.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Certain foods can increase or decrease the absorption rate of medications, altering their efficacy.
2. Grapefruit juice is notorious for interacting with various drugs by inhibiting enzymes that break down medications in the digestive system.
3. High-fat meals can delay gastric emptying, affecting how quickly a drug enters the bloodstream.
4. Vitamin K-rich foods like spinach and kale can counteract blood-thinning medications such as warfarin.
5. Dairy products can interfere with antibiotics like tetracycline by binding to them and preventing proper absorption.

Review Questions

• How does grapefruit juice interact with certain medications?
• Why should patients on blood thinners avoid excessive consumption of Vitamin K-rich foods?
• What impact do high-fat meals have on medication absorption?

Related terms

Pharmacokinetics: The study of how drugs move through the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion

Enzyme Inhibition: A process where a molecule decreases or prevents enzyme activity which can affect drug metabolism

Therapeutic Window: The range of drug doses which can treat disease effectively while staying within the safety range