Combining ranitidine and alcohol is not safe, because the combination both significantly increases levels of blood alcohol and increases the likelihood of damage to the patient’s stomach. To ensure safe usage of the drug, patients are advised to avoid alcohol entirely when taking ranitidine. If a patient does combine ranitidine and alcohol, he or she may feel able to drive because only a small amount of alcohol has been consumed, but the alcohol has a greater effect, so driving is not advised. Alcohol can further undermine the drug’s effectiveness by increasing the risk of damage to the stomach.

Ranitidine is classed as a histamine-2 (H2) blocker. The drug blocks histamine production, a natural chemical which stimulates the different cells in the stomach which produce acid. By blocking the action of histamine, ranitidine cuts down on how much stomach acid is produced. Excessive levels of stomach acid can cause inflammation and ulcers in the stomach, duodenum, and esophagus. The drug is prescribed because the reduction in stomach acid gives inflammation and ulcers time to heal and prevents new damage from occurring.

The reduction in the levels of stomach acid in patients taking ranitidine affects their ability to absorb certain chemicals, however. Combining ranitidine and alcohol is unwise because the drug’s effects on the digestive system reduces the metabolism of alcohol on the first pass. This leads to an increase in blood alcohol levels, which in turn leads to the patients becoming more inebriated than they ordinarily would be.

Alcohol can also increase the risk of damage to the stomach when taking ranitidine. This is because the drug can increase the severity of acid reflux and heartburn. As well as this, drinking alcohol causes increased irritation within the stomach, which can mean that ulcers heal more slowly. Ulcers are one of the common reasons for taking ranitidine, so combining ranitidine and alcohol actually works against treatment. All of these effects are related to the difficulty of absorbing alcohol, which is even more pronounced when stomach acid levels are reduced.

Studies have shown that combining ranitidine and alcohol increases the level of blood alcohol. Researchers have looked at the effects of both small and large amounts of alcohol on the treatment. Small amounts of alcohol had more of an effect on patients taking ranitidine, but the amount transferred to the blood was not a cause for major concern. Other tests which looked at the effects of combining ranitidine and alcohol when more than one alcoholic drink is consumed found the same effect, but show that the increase in blood alcohol could be serious. The drug increases levels of blood alcohol by as much as 38 percent.