The diet choices you make can significantly influence your treatment journey. Certain foods have properties that may react negatively with some medications, potentially leading to adverse effects. This makes it paramount to identify and avoid foods that may interfere with your prescribed drugs. By doing so, you can avoid complications and worry less about the effectiveness of your medication.
Foods to Steer Clear of While Taking Brilinta
Certain foods should be avoided while taking Brilinta due to the medication’s primary function of reducing risks associated with heart attacks, strokes, and fatalities from heart conditions caused by blood clots. Given Brilinta’s sensitive nature, some foods might exacerbate its effects or interact negatively.
In this article, we’ll review several foods you should avoid when taking Brilinta. Read on to find out more.
Grapefruit Juice and Brilinta
You must steer clear of grapefruit juice while on Brilinta. One of the enzymes used by your body to metabolize Brilinta can be inhibited by grapefruit juice. Consequently, drinking grapefruit juice while taking Brilinta can heighten your bleeding risk. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice.
In one clinical study, ten healthy participants were administered a 90 mg dose of ticagrelor on day three, coupled with 200 ml of grapefruit juice or water thrice daily for four days.
The results revealed that grapefruit juice significantly increased ticagrelor’s plasma concentrations and enhanced its antiplatelet effect. This was likely due to grapefruit juice’s inhibition of ticagrelor’s first-pass metabolism by CYP3A4, primarily in the gut. Researchers concluded that it is best to avoid mixing grapefruit juice with ticagrelor during treatment.
Even consuming Brilinta at a different time from grapefruit juice won’t mitigate the interaction, as the effect can last more than 24 hours. Thus, avoiding grapefruit and its juice entirely while on this medication is advisable.
Green Vegetables and Brilinta: Are They Safe?
Conversely, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and kale, which are high in vitamin K, are safe to eat while taking Brilinta. These nutrient-dense foods do not interfere with Brilinta and can even be beneficial during your treatment.
Vitamin K is essential for the blood clotting process in our bodies. Consuming foods rich in vitamin K is safe and can support your treatment while taking Brilinta.
Other Foods That May Affect Brilinta Treatment
As instructed by your doctor, you can take Brilinta with or without food, adhering to a consistent schedule each day. Besides grapefruit and grapefruit juice, no other foods are known to impact your Brilinta medication.