drug interactions
Medicines affecting each other
Drug interactions are the effects that occur when two or more substances—medications, supplements, foods, or recreational drugs—influence each other's action in the body.
One drug may amplify, diminish, or alter another's effects: Grapefruit juice can cause dangerous drug interactions with certain statins.
Doctors and pharmacists check for potential interactions before prescribing or dispensing medications.
The term also covers interactions between drugs and medical conditions.
- serotonin syndromeExcessive nerve-signaling chemical buildup
- polypharmacyUsing numerous drugs concurrently
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- side effectsUnintended treatment consequences
black box warning · package insert · pharmacokinetics · contraindications · grapefruit · antagonism · bioavailability · absorption · herbal supplements · metabolism · liver damage · clearance · alcohol consumption · blood thinner · potentiation · half-life · overdose · excretion
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