Is It Safe To Drink Alcohol With Zyprexa?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not it is safe to drink alcoholic beverages if you take Zyprexa.

Is It Safe To Drink Alcohol With Zyprexa?
Sep 18, 2019

Tom asked

I am 19 and recently started on a 10 mg dosage of Zyprexa to assist with BPI disorder. I would like to be a social drinker with friends. Is it harmful to have alcohol while taking Zyprexa? How much time (hrs) should I wait between actually taking a dose and then consuming alcohol?

At a glance

  • It is not recommended to consume alcohol while taking Zyprexa due to the increased risk of CNS effects (e.g. sedation) and orthostatic hypotension (i.e. a sudden drop in blood pressure).

Answer

No more beer for me. Holding holding up stop to a glass of beer.

The FDA-approved prescribing information for Zyprexa (olanzapine) recommends avoiding drinking alcohol while taking the drug, for a few reasons:

  • Alcohol can enhance the CNS (central nervous system) effects of Zyprexa (e.g. sedation and dizziness).
  • Alcohol increases the risk of 'orthostatic hypotension', a condition in which blood pressure drops suddenly when going to a sitting or standing position.

The following is what the prescribing information states about the CNS effects:

References
  1. Zyprexa Prescribing Information. AccessFDA
  2. Predicting Pharmacokinetic Stability by Multiple Oral Administration of Atypical Antipsychotics. PubMed
  3. Orthostatic Hypotension Information Page. NIH

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