Alcohol and Prescription Drugs
Mixing alcohol with prescription drugs is also dangerous. We will focus on four main types of prescription drugs: anti-depressants, anti-anxiety/depressants, opiates, and stimulants.
Anti-depressants:
Mixing alcohol with anti-depressants causes drowsiness and dizziness as well as impaired motor control (quetiapine, mirtazapine); increased alcohol effect (bupropion); liver damage (duloxetine). It is important to know that mixing alcohol and anti-depressants increases feelings of depression or hopelessness. This is true for all types of anti-depressants. Mixing the two substances increases the risk for overdose and suicide. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as tranylcypromine and phenelzine, when combined with alcohol, may result in serious heart-related side effects. The risk for dangerously high blood pressure is increased when MAOIs are mixed with tyramine, a byproduct found in beer and red wine.
Anti-Anxiety/Depressants:
Alcohol combined with medications such as Xanax and Valium can lead to a rapid onset of dizziness, memory loss, motor impairment, slow breathing and potentially death. When Xanax and alcohol are combined, the effects of the two substances are amplified. So even a small amount of Xanax, when mixed with alcohol, can cause side effects similar to severe intoxication. Depressants are also used to commit sexual assault on campuses because when combined with alcohol they cause an individual to be disoriented.
Fake Xanax is being sold illegally in the United States. Fake versions of Xanax have been found to contain an illegal form of Fentanyl, a very powerful synthetic opioid. A small quantity of fentanyl (two milligrams) is lethal for most people.
—Source: https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/fentanyl-faq.shtml
Stimulants:
Stimulant medications (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta) mask the depressant effects of alcohol. This makes it difficult for an individual to gauge their level of intoxication and may lead to consuming dangerous amounts of alcohol. Mixing stimulants and alcohol can cause significant impairment of coordination and judgment, an increase in aggressiveness, blacking out, cardiovascular problems, vomiting, passing out, and potential death.
Prescription opiates:
Alcohol compounds the effects of medications with sedative properties, such as opioids, so a person will experience increased drowsiness and impaired coordination. Combining drugs like Vicodin, oxycontin, Tylenol 3 with codeine with alcohol can also lead to lowered pulse, slowed breathing, numbness, seizures, unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, coma, and potentially death. One study found that mixing alcohol with one oxycodone tablet results in respiratory depression. Some opiates contain acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), which are safe when taken as directed. However, mixing opiates with acetaminophen and alcohol can cause serious liver damage.