Can you drink on fenofibrate?

In this article:

• Fenofibrate and alcohol
• Fenofibrate interaction with alcohol
• Contraindications
• How long should you wait to drink
• Fenofibrate alternatives
• The bottom line

In this article

• Fenofibrate and alcohol
• Fenofibrate interaction with alcohol
• Contraindications
• How long should you wait to drink
• Fenofibrate alternatives
• The bottom line

If you have high triglyceride levels, your healthcare provider may prescribe fenofibrate. Also known by its brand names TriCor and Fenoglide, fenofibrate is a prescription drug that is FDA-approved for high cholesterol and severe hypertriglyceridemia (high blood triglyceride levels). It belongs to a class of drugs called fibrates and works by activating the effects of a protein called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) to help clear cholesterol from the body. Fenofibrate is typically taken as a long-term treatment, so there may be times when you wonder if it’s safe to have a drink while taking fenofibrate. While there is no direct interaction between fenofibrate and alcohol, it is generally recommended to limit the amount of alcohol you drink while taking the drug.

Can you drink while taking fenofibrate?

It’s generally recommended to limit alcohol consumption while on fenofibrate. Mixing large amounts of alcohol can reduce the benefits of fenofibrate. It may also increase the risk of certain side effects of fenofibrate.

These risks typically only occur with heavy alcohol intake. Therefore, some healthcare providers may allow occasional drinking with fenofibrate. However, it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional before you mix fenofibrate with alcohol.

What happens if you mix fenofibrate and alcohol?

Although there is no direct interaction between alcohol and fenofibrate, mixing the two has a few risks, including a high risk of certain side effects and reduced benefit of fenofibrate.

High triglyceride levels

Studies have shown that high alcohol intake is linked to high triglycerides. Because fenofibrate is sometimes used to lower triglycerides, drinking large amounts of alcohol during treatment can reduce the benefits of the drug or further increase your triglyceride levels.

Overall, healthcare providers typically recommend limiting alcohol if you want to lower your triglyceride levels, and it’s best to consult a healthcare professional before mixing alcohol and fenofibrate.

Increased risk of liver damage

Heavy alcohol use can lead to alcohol-associated liver disease. This is because the liver breaks down alcohol. If more alcohol is consumed than the liver can process, the liver can become damaged.

According to its prescribing information, fenofibrate can cause serious liver problems, including the need for liver transplantation or liver death. In fact, fenofibrate is contraindicated in people with active liver disease—meaning healthcare providers won’t prescribe the drug for people with this condition. Because alcohol and fenofibrate both carry this risk, mixing the two can make liver damage more likely.

Increased risk of pancreatitis

Similarly, heavy alcohol intake has been linked to an increased risk of pancreatitis. Heavy alcohol intake includes drinking every day, frequent binge drinking—which was defined as having at least five drinks in one setting—and problematic alcohol use. Pancreatitis is a potentially serious side effect of fenofibrate. This means drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of this side effect.

Increased risk of bleeding

According to its prescribing information, fenofibrate is known to interact with coumarin blood thinners, such as Coumadin and Jantoven (warfarin). When taken together, prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR)—which are blood tests that measure how long it takes your blood to clot—can increase. When your PT/INR is too high, this means your blood is too thin, and your risk of bleeding is elevated. Due to this interaction, healthcare providers may reduce your blood thinner dosage to keep your PT/INR in the desired range.

Similarly, moderate alcohol intake can also thin the blood. Therefore, combining alcohol, fenofibrate, and blood thinners may increase your risk of bleeding.

Are certain people at greater risk of side effects?

Certain people are at higher risk of side effects than others when combining fenofibrate and alcohol. These include:

• People with existing liver issues due to an increased risk of hepatoxicity (liver damage)
• People with a history of pancreatitis problems due to an increased risk of pancreatitis
• People who take certain blood thinners due to an increased risk of bleeding

It’s always important to obtain medical advice before mixing alcohol with fenofibrate or any new medications, especially if you belong to one of the groups above.

How long after taking fenofibrate can you drink alcohol?

Due to the risks discussed, consuming alcohol with fenofibrate may be risky—especially if you have certain medical conditions. A healthcare professional can advise whether it’s safe for you to drink alcohol while taking fenofibrate or if it’s best to wait until the medication is cleared from your system. This is where the term “half-life” may be important. A drug’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for 50% of a drug to be removed from your body, and a drug is almost completely cleared from the system after about four or five half-lives. According to its prescribing information, the half-life of fenofibrate is 20 hours. This means it will take over four days to eliminate fenofibrate from the body.

It’s important to note that this is only a general calculation of how long fenofibrate can stay in your system. Everyone processes drugs differently, and only a healthcare provider can help determine when it’s safe for you to consume alcohol after starting fenofibrate therapy.

Which cholesterol medications are not affected by alcohol?

There are many different types of cholesterol medications on the market, and each has its risks when combined with alcohol. However, because heavy alcohol intake can increase the risk of high triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, it’s generally recommended to avoid or limit alcohol if you have high cholesterol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women should have no more than one drink per day.

Other lipid-lowering drugs that may have direct or indirect drug interactions with alcohol include:

• Statin drugs, such as Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin)
• PCSK9 inhibitors, such as Repatha (evolocumab) and Praluent (alirocumab)
• Bile acid sequestrants, including Colestid (colestipol) and Prevalite (cholestyramine)
• Zetia (ezetimibe)
• Niaspan, Niacor (niacin)

Alcohol can increase the risk of side effects of these medications or reduce their benefits. As with all medications, be sure to consult a healthcare provider before drinking alcohol with any of these drugs.

The bottom line

While there is no direct interaction between fenofibrate and alcohol, it is generally recommended to limit the amount of alcohol you drink while taking the drug. Heavy alcohol use can reduce the benefits of fenofibrate. It may also increase the risk of certain side effects of fenofibrate, including liver damage, pancreatitis, and bleeding. This risk may be higher for those with a history of liver problems, pancreatitis, or those who take blood thinners. It’s important to consult a healthcare provider before combining alcohol and fenofibrate.