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A Profile of Concurrent Alcohol and Alcohol-Interactive Prescription Drug Use in the US Population

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Abstract

Background

The risk of adverse events among alcohol-interactive medication users can occur with one standard alcoholic drink. Research on the extent to which this occurs is scant.

Objective

To examine the prevalence and correlates of concurrent alcohol and alcohol-interactive (AI) medication use across different levels of risk for an alcohol-related adverse event in a nationally representative sample of American adults.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of past year, self-reported drinking history as well as past month, self-reported and visually inspected prescription drug use data from the 1999–2000 and 2001–2002 NHANES questionnaire section (n = 8,246). Medications were considered AI if concurrent use of alcohol and the prescription drug could intensify the effects of alcohol, resulting in increased sedation, drowsiness, or dizziness. Weighted prevalence estimates and polytomous logistic regression accounted for the complex survey design.

Results

Overall, 13.5% took prescription AI medications, of which 5.6% reported alcohol consumption of three or more drinks on each drinking occasion. Correlates of such use were being a man [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.37; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.84–10.35], between the ages of 20 and 54 (AOR=12.28; 95% CI: 3.12–48.25), and currently smoking (AOR: 2.61; 95% CI: 1.28–5.29), with alcohol-abstaining AI users as the referent group.

Conclusions

Combining alcohol and AI medications is a common phenomenon, and the risk of alcohol-related adverse drug events may be nontrivial. Screening for alcohol use before prescribing AI medications would be prudent. Better communication regarding the dangers of mixing alcohol with AI medications is warranted.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of the “Analyzing Population Data for Health Policy” class, fall semester 2006.

Conflicts of Interest

Jessica Jalbert is a pre-doctoral fellow at Pfizer. This program is supported by a grant on which Kate Lapane is the principal investigator.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health – Epidemiology, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, USA

    Jessica J. Jalbert PhD Candidate & Kate L. Lapane PhD

  2. University of Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy, Kingston, RI, USA

    Brian J. Quilliam PhD

Authors
  1. Jessica J. Jalbert PhD Candidate
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  2. Brian J. Quilliam PhD
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  3. Kate L. Lapane PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jessica J. Jalbert PhD Candidate.

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Jalbert, J.J., Quilliam, B.J. & Lapane, K.L. A Profile of Concurrent Alcohol and Alcohol-Interactive Prescription Drug Use in the US Population. J GEN INTERN MED 23, 1318–1323 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0639-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0639-4

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