Drug interactions
Citalopram + Ethanol
Severity: Moderate
Citalopram and Ethanol: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Alcohol can worsen drowsiness, impair judgment and psychomotor performance, and may counteract the benefit of antidepressant therapy. Citalopram alone has little direct interaction with alcohol, but heavy drinking worsens depression and adverse effects.
What this interaction means in plain words
Citalopram and Ethanol can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depressant and psychomotor effects.
What to do
Advise patients to avoid or minimize alcohol while taking citalopram. Counsel on driving and machinery risks.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Citalopram
- Cisapride + Citalopram Contraindicated
- Citalopram + Dronedarone Contraindicated
- Citalopram + Escitalopram Contraindicated
- Citalopram + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Citalopram + Methylene blue Contraindicated
- Citalopram + Phenelzine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Citalopram with Ethanol?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Citalopram and Ethanol can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Alcohol can worsen drowsiness, impair judgment and psychomotor performance, and may counteract the benefit of antidepressant therapy. Citalopram alone has little direct interaction with alcohol, but heavy drinking worsens depression and adverse effects.
How serious is the interaction between Citalopram and Ethanol?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Advise patients to avoid or minimize alcohol while taking citalopram. Counsel on driving and machinery risks.
What other medicines interact with Citalopram?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Citalopram with, for example, Cisapride, Dronedarone, Escitalopram. The full list is on the Citalopram page.
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