Potentiation of Alcoholic Beverages with Psychotropic Drugs

Beware of potentiation, the skewed and highly unpredictable response one has when combining various medications with alcohol. The effects can range from no observed changes or mild enhancement of the medication to death.

(PRWEB) March 10, 2007 -- Sierra Tucson, a psychiatric hospital that provides addiction treatment and behavioral health services, alerts individuals to pay attention to the labels on prescription bottles that warn against using the medication while consuming alcoholic beverages. Many people have ignored these warnings and have paid dearly for the mistake.

In pharmacology, the term potentiation refers to the skewed and highly unpredictable physiological (and often psychological) response one has when combining various medications with alcohol.

The effects of combining alcohol with many drugs can range from no observed changes or mild enhancement of the medication to death, with many stages between these extremes. It is often very difficult to predetermine what the effect may be for an individual, given the multitude of variables including body chemistry, weight, dosage and frequency of dosage, amount and frequency of alcohol consumption, type of alcoholic beverages, cumulative effect of consuming any of these substances over time, general health, genetic predisposition, activity level, weather conditions, altitude, hydration level, nourishment, emotional state, etc.

Combining medications with alcohol can also be referred to as synergistic, meaning the combined action of two or more substances achieve an effect greater than that which each substance is capable of delivering. Example: Alcohol may have a potency value of one and Xanax may have a potency value of one. When combined, they may have a geometric value of three, four, or more. Citing an example of potentiation, Dr. Jerry Fitz, Chief of Addiction Medicine at Sierra Tucson, referred to a 22-year-old female who had been partying with alcohol and then took Xanax, a commonly-used benzodiazepine. After losing consciousness, she was fortunate enough to be taken to E.R., where a respirator was required to prevent death.

Bottom line: Heed warning labels, and do not mix these substances with alcohol! Even if substances have been mixed with alcohol in the past with little or no observed effect, the potentiation factor can suddenly become severe and can even lead to death in some cases, associated with the many variables mentioned above.

By Phillip S. Mitchell, M.A., MFT, MAC, and Jerry Fitz, M.D.

Sierra Tucson is internationally respected as a leader in the treatment of addictions and mental/behavioral disorders including coexisting conditions, alcohol and chemical dependency, mood disorders, eating disorders, trauma, sexual compulsivity, and compulsive gambling/spending. A bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach combines medical/psychiatric services, 12-Step philosophy, experiential and integrative therapies, and a Family Program for comprehensive treatment. Phillip S. Mitchell, M.A., MFT, MAC, is a Unit Therapist and Lecturer at Sierra Tucson, and Jerry Fitz, M.D., serves as Sierra Tucson's Chief of Addiction Medicine. Accredited by JCAHO. For information, contact Christi Cessna, Director of Marketing and Intake, 1-800-842-4487, www.SierraTucson.com.

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