My husband often teases me that I am probably the only patient around who carefully reads the educational fact sheet that comes with my prescriptions. Being sensitive or allergic to various prescription drugs, I am always careful to scan the fact sheet for potential interactions and side effects. And while I think many of us are aware that there are potential drug-drug interactions, we are less conscious of the potential for food-drug interactions.

A reader's comment to a recent entry prompted me to provide the following guidelines regarding food-drug interactions. However, if you have any questions or concerns about a drug you are taking, you should always check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

When you take a new prescription or over-the-counter drug, it's important to understand that food can interact with drug ingredients to change the way many drugs work. Some food-drug interactions have the potential to cause dangerous side affects. Here are some guidelines:

• Avoid alcohol. It can increase or decrease the effect of any drug.
• Antacids (even prescription antacids) can decrease the effectiveness of a drug. If the drug causes stomach irritation, you may be directed to take it with meals.
• Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking vitamin and mineral supplements or any herbal remedy to learn how these items may affect how the drug is absorbed or eliminated by the body.
• Don't mix drugs with hot beverages, as heat can destroy or alter the way a drug works.
• Unless directed, do not take or mix a drug with food. Different minerals or food characteristics affect how drugs work.
• When taking a medication, drink water instead of juices, soda, or milk unless otherwise directed by a pharmacist. Some beverages may change the absorption rate of the drug; drugs are absorbed best when taken with water. In addition, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, and dairy products are implicated in a number of food-drug interactions.

Do consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any drugs with these food items. A special thanks to the Department of Pharmacy at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for their review of this information.