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Allergies

Food and Drug
Interaction Guide

Food and Your Medications

Choose a type of medication:

If you are not sure if your medication interacts with a certain food, ask your doctor, pharmacist or dietitian.

Every day, people all over the world take medications to treat or prevent illness. These people enjoy a wide variety of foods; however, some foods can change how well drugs work. Some medications may interact with food that is already in our stomachs—these medicines should be taken without food. Other medications can upset an empty stomach and should be taken with food.


This guide is designed
to help you make decisions about the foods you eat when you are taking medications. It does not include all food and drug interactions and it is not meant to be a substitute for the advice of your doctor, pharmacist or dietitian.

 

Allergies

Allegra (fexofenadine) Claritin (loratadine)

Benadryl (diphenhydramine)

Zyrtec (cetirizine)

Antibiotics

Avelox (moxifloxacin) Minocin (minocycline)
Bactrim/Septra (sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim) Nizoral (ketoconazole)
Biaxin (clarithromycin) Rifadin (rifampin)
Cipro (ciprofloxacin) Sporanox (itraconazole)
Diflucan (fluconazole) Sumycin (tetracycline)
Ery-Tab (erythromycin) Tequin (gatifloxacin)
Flagyl (metronidazole) Trovan (trovafloxacin)
Floxin (ofloxacin) Vibramycin (doxycycline)
Isoniazid or "INH" Zithromax (azithromycin)
Levaquin (levofloxacin) Zyvox (linezolid)

Anxiety ("nerves")

Ativan (lorazepam) Valium (diazepam)
BuSpar (buspirone) Xanax (alprazolam)

Arthritis

Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) Ecotrin or aspirin
Aleve, Naprosyn or Anaprox (naproxen) Relafen (nabumetone)
Celebrex (celecoxib) Toradol (ketorolac)
Clinoril (sulindac) Vioxx (rofecoxib)

Asthma

Deltasone/ Orasone (prednisone) Uniphyl (theophylline)
Medrol (methylprednisolone) Ventolin, Proventil or Combivent (albuterol)

Diabetes ("sugar")

Actos (pioglitazone) Glucophage (metformin)
Amaryl (glimepiride) Glucotrol
Avandia (rosiglitazone) Glucotrol XL (glipizide)
Diabeta/Micronase (glyburide) Glucovance (metformin/glyburide)
Diabinese (chlorpropamide) Precose (acarbose)

Diuretics ("water pills")

Bumex (bumetanide) Lasix (furosemide)
Dyazide / Maxide (triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide) Zaroxolyn (metolazone)
Hydrodiuril or "HCTZ" (hydrochlorothiazide)    

Gout

Colchicine Zyloprim (allopurinol)
Indocin (indomethacin)    

Heart Problems
(Circulation and Irregular Heartbeat)

Aldactone (spironolactone) Lanoxin (digoxin)
Betapace
(sotalol)
Lopressor/Toprol XL (metoprolol)
Blocadren
(timolol)
Normodyne/ Trandate (labetalol)
Coreg (carvedilol) Tenormin (atenolol)
Corgard (nadolol) Ticlid (ticlopidine)
Coumadin (warfarin) Visken (pindolol)
Inderal (propranolol) Zebeta (bisoprolol)

High Blood Pressure

Accupril (quinapril) Inderal (propranolol)
Adalat/Procardia
(nifedipine)
Lopressor/Toprol XL (metoprolol)
Altace (ramipril) Monopril (fosinopril)
Atacand
(candesartan)
Normodyne/ Trandate (labetalol)
Avapro (irbesartan) Norvasc (amlodipine)
Betapace (sotalol) Plendil (felodipine)
Blocadren (timolol) Prinivil/Zestril (lisinopril)
Capoten (captopril) Sular (nisoldipine)
Cardizem/Dilacor (diltiazem) Tenormin (atenolol)
Coreg (carvedilol) Vasotec (enalapril)
Corgard
(nadolol)
Verelan/Isoptin/Calan (verapamil)
Cozaar (losartan) Visken (pindolol)
Diovan (valsartan) Zebeta (bisoprolol)

High Cholesterol

Lescol (fluvastatin) Questran (cholestyramine)
Lipitor (atorvastatin) Zocor (simvastatin)
Mevacor (lovastatin)    

HIV Infection

Agenerase (amprenavir) Invirase (saquinavir)
Crixivan (indinavir) Sustiva (efavirenz)
Hivid (zalcitabine) Videx (didanosine)

Menopause

Fosamax
(alendronate)
Premarin
(conjugated estrogens)

Mood Disorders

Celexa (citalopram) Paxil (paroxetine)
Clozaril (clozapine) Prozac (fluoxetine)
Effexor (venlafaxine) Remeron (mirtazapine)
Elavil (amitriptyline) Risperdal (risperidone)
Haldol (haloperidol) Seroquel (quetiapine)
Lithobid (lithium) Serzone (nefazodone)
Luvox (fluvoxamine) Sinequan (doxepin)
Mellaril (thioridazine) Thorazine (chlorpromazine)
Nardil (phenelzine) Tofranil (imipramine)
Norpramin (desipramine) Wellbutrin (bupropion)
Pamelor (nortriptyline) Zoloft (sertraline)
Parnate (tranylcypromine)    

Pain

Darvocet-N 100 (propoxyphene/acetaminophen) Oxycontin/Oxy-IR (oxycodone)
Fioricet/Fiorinal (butalbital/acetaminophen or aspirin) Percocet (oxycodone/acetaminophen)
Lortab (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) Tylenol #3 (acetaminophen/codeine)
Motrin (ibuprofen) Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen)

Seizures

Depakote (valproic acid) Neurontin (gabapentin)
Dilantin (phenytoin) Tegretol (carbamazepine)

Sleep

Ambien (zolpidem) Restoril (temazepam)
Desyrel (trazodone) Sonata (zaleplon)
Halcion (triazolam) Valium (diazepam)
Nytol (diphenhydramine) Xanax (alprazolam)
ProSom (estazolam)    

Stomach

Aciphex (rabeprazole) Prilosec (omeprazole)
Axid (nizatidine) Protonix (pantoprazole)
Nexium (esomeprazole) Tagamet (cimetidine)
Pepcid (famotidine) Zantac (ranitidine)
Prevacid (lansoprazole)    

Vitamins & Minerals


Iron
(ferrous sulfate)

K-Dur/Klor-Con
(potassium chloride)

About this guide
This guide was prepared by the pharmacy services and food and nutrition services departments at Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals, and approved by the pharmacy therapeutics committee. It is designed to help you make decisions about the foods you eat when you are taking medications. It does not include all food and drug interactions and it is not meant to be a substitute for the advice of your doctor, pharmacist or dietitian.

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