Drug interactions
Ethanol + Tolbutamide
Severity: Moderate
Ethanol and Tolbutamide: 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 cause unpredictable swings in blood glucose in patients taking tolbutamide, with a risk of hypoglycemia, especially with fasting. Occasional disulfiram-like reactions with flushing and nausea have been reported. The effect is variable between patients.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ethanol and Tolbutamide 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
Alcohol suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis, may inhibit acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, and alters sulfonylurea metabolism.
What to do
Advise avoiding alcohol or limiting it to small amounts taken with food. Teach patients to recognize and treat hypoglycemia.
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 Tolbutamide
- Glyburide-metformin + Tolbutamide Major
- Insulin degludec-liraglutide + Tolbutamide Major
- Aceclofenac + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Acemetacin + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Albiglutide + Tolbutamide Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ethanol with Tolbutamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Ethanol and Tolbutamide 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 cause unpredictable swings in blood glucose in patients taking tolbutamide, with a risk of hypoglycemia, especially with fasting. Occasional disulfiram-like reactions with flushing and nausea have been reported. The effect is variable between patients.
How serious is the interaction between Ethanol and Tolbutamide?
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 avoiding alcohol or limiting it to small amounts taken with food. Teach patients to recognize and treat hypoglycemia.
What other medicines interact with Tolbutamide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tolbutamide with, for example, Glyburide-metformin, Insulin degludec-liraglutide, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Tolbutamide page.
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