Posted by Quintal on May 17, 2008, at 10:52:47
In reply to Re: Common sense » Quintal, posted by llurpsienoodle on May 17, 2008, at 7:59:20
I think there has been a misunderstanding from the outset of the relative respiratory depressant effects of these drugs. It isn't really fair to lump benzos in the same category as barbiturates and alcohol simply because they all act via the neurotransmitter GABA. A potentially fatal degree of respiratory depression can occur even at therapeutic doses of barbiturates, so taking another CNS depressant drug on top of them is a very bad idea. Barbs have a high affinity for the area of the brain that controls breathing, benzos much, much less so - which is the reason they were once hailed as the 'safest' class of drugs in the world.
It may be prudent to avoid all alcohol while taking any sort of medication, but it isn't always medically necessary, depending on the drug - as with barbs and chloral etc. To be on the safe side, people who enjoy social drinking should discuss with their doctor if their own particular level of alcohol consumption would be a problem with the medication they're taking. It seems that many of us have been told our alcohol intake is safe with the medication we take, and some have even been encouraged to take up drinking as a way to relax. As always, opinions vary.
Q
poster:Quintal
thread:829259
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080510/msgs/829660.html