In some cases, there is a change in the helpful effects of the drug and in other cases there will be a change in side effects. It is important to remember that alcohol and tobacco are drugs, and can be involved in drug interactions. Any time a new medication is added to others, the possibility for drug interactions must be discussed. There are many different types of drug interactions, and not all of them will occur in every case.
Some medications are more likely to be involved with serious drug interactions.
The two most common ones are warfarin, also called Coumadin, and Digoxin, or Lanoxin. If you are on warfarin, you should never begin a new medication unless your healthcare provider approves. Sometimes, drug interactions are helpful. Drug combinations may be prescribed that allow lower doses to be used. This reduces the chance of side effects.