The typical college student goes out on the weekends. The typical college student consumes alcohol, often in large amounts. The typical college student is also prone to suffer numerous ailments that require medication of some kind. What the typical college student does not consider, however, are the risks of consuming alcohol and medication simultaneously.

Many students are unaware that a number of medications react badly when mixed with alcohol.

According to a pharmacist’s letter from the Therapeutic Research Center of California, there are two different types of alcohol-medication interactions: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic.

Pharmacokinetic interactions occur when alcohol alters how the body reacts to drugs, or vice versa. Pharmacodynamic interactions refer to the additive effects of alcohol and medications on the body, particularly in the central nervous system.

Still, numerous educated college students don’t understand or realize the potential harm. Nina Marinaro, a sophomore philosophy, politics and law major, shared this sentiment.

“No one makes it clear enough if there are side effects or risks. I think if I was taking meds of any kind I’d probably still drink,” she said.

This seems to be the general consensus among students. Christopher Augustyni, a junior English major, admitted to drinking while on medication.

“I have done it before. You just have to make sure that you don’t drink a lot, and if you start to not feel good stop immediately.”

Is this the right idea though? Take a look at this guide to see how medicines react when taken preceding the consumption of alcohol. All the information is provided by the aforementioned pharmacist’s letter and CVS Pharmacy.

Aspirin/Ibuprofen

There are really no serious effects for these medications. However, there is an increased risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage because the medications can damage the gastric mucosal barrier. If taken with alcohol, it is advised not to do so on an empty stomach and it is sometimes advised to avoid taking aspirin or ibuprofen within eight to 10 hours of heavy alcohol use.

Tylenol (acetaminophen)

In the short term, there are no serious effects. However, in the long term, the big problem is that both Tylenol and alcohol pass through the liver as they are broken down, so there is an increased risk of liver problems. It’s important to know that those people who consume several alcoholic drinks should avoid taking large doses of acetaminophen. Professor Terrence Deak, an associate professor of psychology specializing in psychobiology, reiterated this point.

“What I can tell you is that alcohol and Tylenol is one of the largest contraindications out there, and probably one of the most overlooked ones at that. The result is liver damage.”

Sudafed

This medication is simply a decongestant so there is no serious effect to consume alcohol and the medication together.

Claritin/Benadryl

These medications are antihistamines and it is not advised to consume alcohol while taking either of them. While the effects occur mostly in sedative antihistamines, such as Benadryl, the mix of these medications and alcohol increases drowsiness and the typical effects of alcohol. They also increase depression in the central nervous system and impair mental thought and physical movements.

Antibiotics

Alcohol should definitely not be consumed while taking antibiotics, which are commonly used to treat strep throat or other infections. Amoxicillin and penicillin are two examples of such medications. It’s important that the body has the time to fully recover, and alcohol prohibits that because the body has to focus on breaking down the alcohol as well as fighting the infection. Also, some antibiotics, such as Flagyl, which is prescribed to treat various infections, can have extremely severe reactions. These can include severe vomiting, nausea and shortness of breath.

Antidepressants

There are a few types of antidepressants, and their interactions with alcohol are different. Two of the earliest forms of antidepressants are called tricyclic drugs (Elavil, Tofranil, et al) and MAOIs (Nardil, Parnate, et al). Alcohol should not be consumed while taking these medications because of the excessive depression of the central nervous system. In the case of tricyclic drugs there is also an impairment of mental thought and physical movements, and alcohol inhibits the metabolism of the medications. In MAOIs, there is the possibility of a severe hypertensive response when taken with alcoholic drinks containing tyramine, such as red wine, champagne and some beers.

The most commonly prescribed antidepressants today are classified under the acronym SSRIs, and include Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil, among others. While there are no direct problems with drinking while on these medications, it is highly recommended to limit the amount you drink to prevent increased risk of side effects and feelings of depression.