FIGHT BACK : SOME FOODS AND MEDICATIONS REALLY DON'T MIX.

Byline: David Horowitz

Would you ever think that drinking grapefruit juice could create a serious health threat? Medical researchers have found a dangerous interaction between some blood-pressure medications and grapefruit juice because it can dramatically increase the amount of medicine your body can absorb. This sounds hard to believe, but one glass of grapefruit juice with one pill can equal the effect of four or five pills - and, in some cases, even more. When you are talking about serious medication, that could be enough of a drug overdose to cause a heart attack or send you into cardiac arrest.

The discovery about grapefruit juice happened by accident during a medical experiment. The researchers wanted to know how alcohol affected blood-pressure medication, so they mixed the alcohol with grapefruit juice because its strong flavor disguised the taste of the liquor in the study. Suddenly, the people in the study began having serious reactions. By a process of elimination, they figured out it was the grapefruit juice causing the problem.

More research discovered that grapefruit juice can interact dangerously with a group of drugs called ``calcium channel blockers,'' which are used for treating high blood pressure, and grapefruit juice can also interact with some antihistamines.

Grapefruit juice isn't the only food that can be dangerous. Antibiotics like tetracycline can interact with dairy products. Sodium can also affect the way an anti-depressant like lithium is absorbed by the body. When you get a prescription, ask questions. You want to know what not to mix with the drugs and about any possible side effects. Take the time to read the information you get with your medication and make sure the doctor knows about any other medications you are taking. That could be the most dangerous mix of all.

The average person over 65 takes 15 different prescription drugs a year. That creates a dangerous potential for drug interactions that can be deadly in some cases. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about Seldane, the widely used antihistamine for allergies. The FDA found that Seldane, when taken in combination with the antibiotic erythromycin, can cause serious heart problems.

Antibiotics can affect other widely used drugs, like birth control pills. If you combine the two, it could make the contraceptive less effective, creating a greater risk of an unwanted pregnancy.

Learn as much as you can about the prescriptions you are taking. Ask your doctor and pharmacist questions. When in doubt, always check it out. It could save your life.