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Food & Drug Interactions


Some medicines interact directly with certain foods and beverages in the stomach. This interaction may make the medicines less effective or may cause dangerous side effects or other problems.
The following is a list of common prescription medicines that interact with food. Use the list to help you decide if your diet should be adjusted while you are taking the medicine.
If you have questions about your medicines, ask your doctor and/or pharmacist. Questions about any of the diets mentioned can be answered by a registered dietitian.

 
Take with food
Ceftin - Cardene - Biaxin - Keflex - Demadex - Augmentin - Ceclor - Ticlid
 

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Take 15 minutes before food
Prilosec - Propulsid
 

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Take on an empty stomach
(1 hour before or 2 hours after food)

Prevacid - Zithromax - Carafate - Ampicillin
 

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May take with or without food
Effexor - Prozac(avoid alcohol) - Pamelor(limit caffeine)
 

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Take with food - Avoid alcohol
Xanax - Zoloft - Paxil - Restoril - Desyrel - Buspar - Klonopin - Flagyl
 

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Take with food - Avoid alcohol - Limit caffeine
Ativan - Valium - Elavil
 
 

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Take on empty stomach - Avoid alcohol
Isordil - Monoket - Procanbid - Sorbitrate - Nitroglycerin - Pronestyl - Imdur - Quinidine Sulfate - Ismo
 
 

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Gastrointestinal Medications
 
Axid - take with food. Avoid alcohol, limit caffeine, may need a bland diet.
 
Tagamet - take with food. Avoid alcohol, limit caffeine, may need a bland diet. Take iron supplement separately by 2 hours.
 
Zantac/Pepcid - may take with or without food. Avoid alcohol. limit caffeine, may need a bland diet.
 
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Antibiotics
Take the following on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after food.

 
Floxin/Noroxin - take with 8 ounces of water. Drink plenty of fluids.
 
Tetracycline - do not take milk, dairy products, iron or calcium supplements, antacids or mineral supplements within 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking this medication. Take with 8 ounces of water.
 
Penicillin - avoid taking with citrus juices or carbonated beverages. For best results take with 8 ounces of water.
 
 
Take the following with food especially if stomach is easily upset.
 
Erythromycin - limit caffeine.
 
Cipro - limit caffeine and drink plenty of fluids. Take antacids, magnesium, iron, calcium or zinc supplements separate by 2 hours.
 
Septra/Bactrim - drink plenty of fluids. Avoid high doses of vitamin C.
 
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Antihypertensives
(high blood pressure medication)
Take the following on an empty stomach.

 
Capoten - decrease sodium, decrease calorie diet may be recomended. Avoid salt substitutes that contain potassium, caution with potassium supplements. Take calcium or magnesium supplements separate by 2 hours. Maintain adequate fluid intake.
 
Procardia - take with decreased fat meal to prevent flushing. Do not take with orange, grapefruit or other citrus fruit juices. A low salt diet may be recommended. Do not take calcium supplement within 3 hours of taking this medication. Avoid alcohol.
 
Cardizem - a low sodium, low calorie diet may be recommended.
 
Hydrocholorothiazide - diuretic potassium depleting. May need to decrease sodium, decrease calorie, increase potassium, increase magnesium. Avoid natural licorice. Limit alcohol. Caution with calcium supplements.
 
Triamterene - diuretic, potassium sparing. Avoid high potassium foods, potassium supplements, salts substitutes that contain potassium. A decreased sodium, decreased calorie diet may be recommended. Avoid natural licorice.
 
Calan (Verapamil/Isoptin) - decrease sodium, decrease calorie diet may be recommended. Limit caffeine. Caution with calcium and/or vitamin D supplements - hypercalcemia decreases effectiveness.
 
 
Take the following with food or on empty stomach:
 
Vasotec/Zestril/Accupril - avoid salt and salty foods. Avoid salt substitutes that contain potassium. Caution with potassium supplements. Avoid alcohol.
 
Atenolol/Metoprolol (Tenormin, Lopressor, Toprol XL)
- a decreased sodium, decreased calorie diet may be recommended. Avoid natural licorice.
 
Hytrin/Cardura - a decreased sodium, decreased calorie diet may be recommended. Avoid natural licorice. Caution with alcohol.
 
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Antihyperlipidemics
These medications are prescribed to lower blood lipid (cholesterol) levels. A low cholesterol, low fat diet may be recommended. Avoid alcohol.
 

 
Pravachol - take on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after foods.


Mevacor/Lopid - take with food.
 
Zocor/Lescol - may take with or without food.
 
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Cardiovascular

 
Lanoxin - take this medication 1 hour before breakfast. Avoid high fiber foods such as bran, bran cereals or bran muffins for breakfast, but it is acceptable to eat high-fiber foods later in the day. Avoid natural licorice.

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Miscellaneous Cardiac Medications

 
Quinidine (Quinaglute, Duraguin, Quinidex)
- take this medication 1 hour before or 2 hours after food. Take with 8 ounces of water. Do not drink more than 1 or 2 glasses of citrus juice while on this medication. Caution with potassium supplements.

 
Take the following with food:
 
Lozol - a low sodium, low calorie, high potassium, high magnesium diet may be recommended. Avoid natural licorice. Limit alcohol.
 
Edecrin - a high potassium, high magnesium diet may be recommended. Liberal sodium diet for most patients. Limit alcohol.
 
Trental - a low cholesteral, low calorie diet may be recommended. Limit caffeine.
 
Bumex/Lasix/Hydrodiuril - a low salt, high potassium diet may be recommended. Avoid natural licorice and alcohol.
 
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Miscellaneous Medications
 
Theophylline - this medication will not work well if you eat more protein than usual. Try to eat the same protein foods each day. Avoid charcoal-broiled foods. Avoid caffeine. For Theo-24 only take with a high fat meal or snack.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (Parnate, Nardil, Marplan) - avoid foods high in tyramine. If you eat foods high in tyramine while on this medication it can cause nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure and headaches. Avoid alcohol and limit caffeine.
 
Oral Hypoglycemics (Diabinese, Glucotrol, Diabeta, Micronase) - take with food and avoid alcohol. Compliance with a diabetic diet is important.
 
Coumadin (anticoagulant) - avoid excessive amounts of foods that are high in vitamin K. Do not drink herbal teas or green teas while taking this medication. Because of the varied effects that food can have on this medication, maintain a well balanced diet with a consistent intake of vitamin K. Avoid alcohol.
 
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Foods High In Tyramine

Aged cheese - Caffeine - Pickled Herring - Aged Meat - Chicken Liver - Raisins - Anchovies - Chocolate - Red Wine - Bananas - Cola Drinks - Salami - Beef Liver - Eggplant - Sausage - Beer - Figs - Sour Cream - Bologna - Mushrooms - Yeast Extract - Broad Beans - Pepperoni - Soy Sauce - Yogurt
 
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Foods High In Potassium

Apricots - Cantelope - Honeydew - Prune Juice - Asparagus - Carrots - Milk - Pumpkin - Artichokes - Celery - Mushrooms - Raisins - Avocado - Chocolate - Oranges - Spinach - Bananas - Dates - Orange Juice - Squash - Bran Flakes - Dried Beans - Parsnips - Tomatoes - Broccoli - Dried Fruit - Potatoes - Tomato Juice - Brussel Sprouts - Figs - Prunes - V-8 Juice - Yams
 
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Foods High In Vitamin K

Beef Liver - Green Tea - Brussel Sprouts - Cauliflower - Tomatoes - Soybeans/Soybean Oil - Green Leafy Vegetables
especially Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, Lettuce & Turnips  

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Foods that Contain Caffeine

Coffee - Tea - Chocolate - Dark Sodas - Mountain Dew

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