What happens if you drink alcohol after taking ceftriaxone?

You cannot drink alcohol after taking cephalexin, as this poses a great threat to the patient's life safety. If you drink alcohol after taking cephalexin, it will often cause some serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, weakness in the limbs, and more severe cases will cause loss of consciousness, heart failure, and even death.

What happens if you drink alcohol after taking ceftriaxone?

Drinking alcohol after taking ceftriaxone may indeed cause a "disulfiram-like reaction." Disulfiram-like reaction, also known as disulfiram-like reaction, is a poisoning reaction caused by "acetaldehyde accumulation" in the body after taking drugs (cephalosporins) and drinking beverages containing alcohol. Symptoms include chest tightness, shortness of breath, laryngeal edema, cyanosis of the lips, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, weakness in the limbs, flushed face, sweating, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and trance. In severe cases, anaphylactic shock may occur, with decreased blood pressure and loss of consciousness. It is easy to misdiagnose as acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, etc.

Are all medicines dangerous?

However, not all cephalosporins pose this risk. Experts explained that there are many cephalosporin drugs, but only those containing the "sulfuryl methyl azole group" will have a disulfiram-like reaction. Whether it contains the "sulfuryl methyl azole group" can be checked on the drug instructions. Huoxiang Zhengqi Water contains alcohol, so when taking the medicine, you should also avoid cephalosporins containing the "sulfur methyl azole group"; you should also avoid cephalosporins when taking Shidi Shui or Zhenggu Shui.

What to do once the reaction occurs?

"Disulfiram-like reaction" can generally resolve on its own without special treatment, and the symptoms will be alleviated or disappear after stopping alcohol use. If a serious disulfiram-like reaction occurs, go to the hospital and ask the doctor to take measures and conduct appropriate treatment. Pharmacists remind that you should try to avoid drinking alcohol while taking cephalosporins and within one week after taking the medicine, and avoid eating foods containing alcohol, such as sauces, fermented vinegar, etc.