med question

[adamsmom]

I know that when you are taking certain blood pressure meds you should not eat grapefruits but does that mean you can never eat grapefruits or can you eat them a couple hours after taking meds?

Had a patient ask that question.

[BlueBug]

Never consume grapefruit or grapefruit juice.

"Karch, an expert on drug interactions, explains that grapefruit juice is one of the foods most likely to cause problems with drugs, because it is metabolized by the same enzyme in the liver that breaks down many drugs. The cytochrome P-450 3A4 enzyme breaks down grapefruit juice into useful components for body, just like it breaks down dozens of medications. Karch says when the system is overloaded, the grapefruit juice can "swamp" the system, keeping the liver busy and blocking it from breaking down drugs and other substances."

from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050124010803.htm

Hoped that helped...

~BlueBug