Expanding the list of drugs that interact with grapefruit juice

Dr. David Bailey from the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, reported the “grapefruit effect” more than 15 years ago.

Now, Dr. Bailey and coworkers at the University of Western Ontario tell us that while 17 drugs were identified in 2008 as having the potential to cause serious problems when taken with grapefruit, this number has now grown to 43.

The study does not include an abstract, but ABC News [link below] has listed the offending drugs.

Among the side effects sometimes seen with grapefruit-induced overdoses are heart rhythm problems, kidney failure, muscle breakdown, difficulty with breathing, and blood clots. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is one of the drugs linked to serious cases of drug toxicity when combined with grapefruit products. Other common heart medications — including verapamil (Isoptin, Verelan, Verelan PM, Calan) and amiodarone (Cordarone) — have also led to serious interactions when consumed with grapefruit or grapefruit juice.

While there are many reported cases of serious side effects attributable to this problem, the total number of Americans who have been affected is not known.

The bottom line?

Talk to you doctor for guidance.

The list of interacting drugs is listed here.

11/27/12 15:31 JR