Synergism in medicine refers to the interaction of multiple drugs, which can have positive or negative effects. Some drugs work better together, while others can be dangerous when combined. Understanding drug interactions can lead to better treatment and medication management.
In medicine, synergism is usually related to the use of more than one drug at the same time. This can be good or bad, or it can have little or no effect. Essentially, the concept of synergy is that things work together to produce a more pronounced effect, and understanding how drugs may interact can create a better treatment or help determine which drugs shouldn’t be used together.
There are many drugs that are regularly combined and can work more effectively together than they do separately. Many pain relievers that contain drugs like codeine or hydrocodone also contain the common acetaminophen, because opioids combined with it can do more to deal with pain. Similarly, codeine is often combined with promethazine in cough syrup, which can help the medicine work better and promote more restful sleep. The HIV drug cocktail may also work better together than separately.
Positive synergism exists in a number of other drugs, where one drug helps the other work more effectively. Alternatively, doctors also have lists of medications that don’t seem to interfere with each other. These medicines don’t necessarily work together, but they don’t appear to be dangerous when taken together. For example, many adults with heart problems will take more than two heart medications to address different aspects of their condition. People who have complex mood disorders or conditions such as depression might take a standard antidepressant or an anticonvulsant with other medications such as anxiolytics or antipsychotics.
The opposite of positive synergism, when drugs enhance their effects to the point of becoming dangerous, is called negative synergism. There are some drugs that are generally not combined, unless the need is extremely great, because they can be life-threatening. Any drug that has a tendency to suppress breathing is usually not mixed with other drugs that may have the same consequences, as the end result may be that breathing is stopped.
The average opioid pain medicine would usually not be combined with anti-anxiety medications, or two opioids may not be used in combination. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are a common treatment for depression, are not usually added together. Two SSRIs used together can produce so much free serotonin in the system that it causes serotonin syndrome, which is very dangerous.
Some heart medications, such as the blood thinner warfarin, interact in one way or another with a very long list of other medications. These drugs can increase or decrease blood levels of warfarin and should be avoided. In fact, warfarin may have a synergistic relationship with many foods as well, and people taking this medicine should observe their diet and have their blood levels evaluated regularly.
Also related to human health is the synergism that can occur when chemicals such as pesticides are mixed. Alone, a single chemical may not pose a problem, but combined with other chemicals it could prove deadly. To avoid these potentially life-threatening reactions, how chemicals interact with each of them, whether they are used for drugs or for other purposes, must be researched and documented.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
