Alcohol and Metronidazole

presents with trichomoniasis. She also reports drinking 2 glasses of wine most nights

Your student asks if she should still be prescribed metronidazole given alcohol use.

How did others respond?

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Best Answer:

Yes give metronidazole 💊

Explanation: Labeling for metronidazole recommends avoiding alcohol within 72 hours of taking metronidazole 🕥 due to risk of disulfiram reaction. 🤮

This is based on a theoretical chemical reaction, but does it really happen?

Small case series observed NO CASES of vomiting AND detected NO METABOLITES suggestive of the disulfiram-like reaction when metronidazole was given with alcohol 🤯

Patients may benefit from alcohol cessation during acute illness or for overall health, but alcohol is not a contraindication to metronidazole therapy 💊