Define the Drug and Drug Effect?

In the discussions above, we reviewed the effect of food on drug metabolism. Interestingly, not only can drugs interact with food and alcohol, they can also interact with each other. Some drugs are prescribed together on purpose for an added effect, like codeine and acetaminophen for pain relief. However, other drug-to-drug interactions may be unintended and harmful.

Prescription drugs can interact with each other or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, etc. Sometimes, the effect of one drug may be increased or decreased. For example, tricyclic antidepressants can decrease the ability of a hypotensive to lower blood pressure. In other cases, the effects of a drug can increase the risk of serious side effects. For example, some antifungal medications can interfere with the way some cholesterol-lowering medications are broken down by the body. This can increase the risk of a serious side effect.