Dr. Oz had a feature on his TV show yesterday about deadly food and drug combinations that not many may be aware of but could lead to stroke, liver damage, etc. I had heard of grapefruit juice being a problem but was startled to see the gel that it forms when combined with a statin cholesterol lowering med that could plug you up and lead to death. Other problem foods drug combinations are licorice with some blood pressure meds and antidepressants with aged cheese (contain tyramine). For more details see

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/when-food-medicine-danger?page=2#copy

I wonder if any other foods might be a problem?

Yes the doctor and the pharmacy, both warn you about grapefruit and simvastin

Drugs that Interact with Grapefruit Juice:

(from the December 2004 issue of the American Journal of Nursing)

Antibiotics: clarithromycin, erythromycin, troleandomycin

Anxiolytics: alprazolam, buspirone, midazolam, triazolam

Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone, quinidine

Anticoagulant: warfarin

Antiepileptic: carbamazepine

Antifungal: itraconazole

Anthelmintic: albendazole

Antihistamine: fexofenadine

Antineoplastics: cyclophosphamide, etoposide, ifosfamide, tamoxifen, vinblastine, vincristine

Antitussive: dextromethorphan

Antivirals: amprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir

Benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment: finasteride

â-blockers: carvedilol

Calcium channel blockers: diltiazem, felodipine, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, verapamil

Erectile dysfunction drugs: sildenafil, tadalafil

Hormone replacement: cortisol, estradiol, methylprednisolone, progesterone, testosterone

Immunosuppressants: cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors: atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin

Opioids: alfentanil, fentanyl, sufentanil

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: fluvoxamine, sertraline

Xanthine: theophylline

WOW .. I would have never thought that food could have negative reactions with meds. No wonder that legally prescribed pharmaceuticals are said by some to be one of the leading causes of death in America.