Lethal Grapefruit - not a movie, but a real danger with certain prescription drugs

[janedrake]

Quote:LA Times: Grapefruit doesn't mix well with some drugs, researchers remind

It’s been known for a long time that eating grapefruit and taking certain prescription oral medications — including the cholesterol drugs atorvastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin as well as some cancer and heart drugs — don’t mix....

The culprit ingredients in grapefruit juice, wrote pharmacologist David Bailey of the Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario and co-authors, are a group of chemicals known as furanocoumarins, which are also found in the Seville oranges sometimes used in marmalades, in limes, and in pomelos (but not in Valencia or navel oranges.)

Furanocoumarins bind to — and thus, inactivate — an enzyme called CYP3A4 that is important for breaking down some drugs. If the enzyme is inactivated, too much of these medications can remain in a patient’s system for too long, resulting sometimes in dangerous side effects including sudden death, kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding and other problems.

In all, more than 85 drugs are thought to interact with grapefruit, the team wrote, 43 of them in dangerous ways. Eating a single grapefruit or drinking as little as just under 7 ounces of grapefruit juice can be enough to meaningfully alter the concentration of drugs in a patient’s body, the team wrote.

You might want to "hold the grapefruit" if you are taking any of these medications:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/update...206d.shtml

[There Is No Spoon]

I was surprised when my mom told me about this during the Thanksgiving holiday (yes, coincidentally I just learned about this 2 days ago.) I suppose when I insisted that the Fresca my dad was drinking did indeed have grapefruit juice in it, she realized that he shouldn't be drinking it (he's on a ton of medications for heart disease.) Better call and remind her my dad can't drink Fresca again.

[janedrake]

(11-26-2012 10:06 PM)There Is No Spoon Wrote:  I was surprised when my mom told me about this during the Thanksgiving holiday (yes, coincidentally I just learned about this 2 days ago.) I suppose when I insisted that the Fresca my dad was drinking did indeed have grapefruit juice in it, she realized that he shouldn't be drinking it (he's on a ton of medications for heart disease.) Better call and remind her my dad can't drink Fresca again.

"Fresca" -- one of my all-time favorites! Yep, sounds like a good idea to give them a gentle reminder!

[azmouse]

Good info. My doc wants to put me on a cholesterol lowering drug. If I take one, I'll be sure to ask for one that isn't affect by grapefruit.
I have a wonderful rubyred grapefruit tree that produces the most delicious fruit and I'd hate to not be able to eat them.

[Fire1]

I don't think I've had a grapefruit in 20 years b/c of the contraindications.

[DFW]

There is a warning on Statins here (Germany) to avoid grapefruit within three hours either way of taking a statin (which I have been doing for 8 years). I haven't touched one for 8 years.

[pappy]

(12-17-2012 02:32 PM)DFW Wrote:  There is a warning on Statins here (Germany) to avoid grapefruit within three hours either way of taking a statin (which I have been doing for 8 years). I haven't touched one for 8 years.

Statins or grapefruit?