What are the side effects?
Side effects are an undesirable symptom caused by medical treatment. All medications, including prescription, over-the-counter, and complementary medications, can cause side effects. Complementary medicines include herbal preparations, vitamins and some products that are distributed by naturopaths and other practitioners of complementary medicine.
Every year around 230,000 Australians are hospitalized with problems including side effects of their drugs. While most side effects can be controlled, some can be very serious and can even lead to death.
It is in your best interests to manage your medication wisely. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information and advice.
Prescription drugs can cause side effects
All medications can cause unwanted side effects. For example, certain antibiotics can cause an allergic reaction in about 5% of the population. A rash on the skin is a normal reaction. But it is not always easy to tell whether the reaction is due to medication or illness.
Interactions between people who take other drugs are more complicated. Interactions can occur between prescription, over-the-counter, and complementary drugs.
Complementary medications also have side effects
About 60% of Australians use supplements at least once a year. Many people believe they are safe because they come from natural sources. This is not always true.
Some herbal remedies work as powerfully on the body as any conventional medicine and can cause unwanted side effects.
Some examples of complementary drugs that can cause side effects include the following:
Echinacea - More than 20 different reactions have been reported. Some include asthma attacks, hives, edema, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal upset.
Fever few - Pregnant women should not use this medicine as it may stimulate uterine contractions. In animal experiments, fever causes spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). Complementary medicines can interact with prescription medicines
About one in 5 Australians take both complementary and prescription medicines. Active ingredients in these medicines can interact, increasing the risk of side effects.
Some medicines have similar active ingredients, that may act in the same way. Other complementary medicines may make the prescription medicine more or less effective.
Some combinations that can put people’s health at risk include:
Echinacea may interact with medications broken down by the liver.
Many complementary medicines (including feverfew, ginkgo and chamomile) may increase the risk of bleeding in people taking anticoagulant medicines (such as warfarin) and anti-inflammatory medicines (such as aspirin).
St John’s wort increases serotonin. If taken with other medicines that increase serotonin (such as antidepressants) it can cause serotonin toxicity. Serotonin toxicity can range from mild to life threatening. Symptoms include tremors, high temperature and low blood pressure.
For advice about complementary medicines, speak with your doctor or other health professional.
Alcohol used with medicines can cause side effects
Drinking alcohol with some medicines can also cause unwanted (and sometimes dangerous) side effects. For example:
Alcohol can cause drowsiness or dizziness when taken with (some) antihistamines, antidepressants, sleeping tablets or medicines for anxiety.
Alcohol can affect medicines for high blood pressure and travel sickness.
When alcohol is mixed with strong prescription medicines like opioid pain medicines, the combination can increase the chances of overdose. Alcohol with opioids can slow down a person’s breathing rate and lead to drowsiness and loss of consciousness.
Some antibiotics interact negatively with alcohol and some can cause a severe reaction. Symptoms can include upset stomach, skin flushing, headache, a fast or irregular heartbeat, drowsiness or dizziness.
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