Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Chlorpropamide

“Many diabetics who take chlorpropamide (a sulphonylurea compound) experience facial flushing after drinking even small amounts of alcohol.”

“Eight contained clear descriptions of CPAF, while one was entirely concerned with it and included measurements of blood flow in the ear which was shown to be greater in susceptible subjects after chlorpropamide and alcohol than after alcohol alone [3].”

“The sulfonylureas and chlorpropamide , specifically, may provoke an Antabuse-like reaction when the patient drinks alcohol.”

“Diabetics treated with chlorpropamide can have an antabuse-like flushing with ingestion of alcohol , but flushing secondary to hypoglycemia per se has not been reported.”

“Blood acetaldehyde concentration after intake of CP and alcohol was higher in patients with CPAF than in those without CPAF (p less than 0.005), and in those with low basal erythrocyte ALDH activity than in those with high basal enzyme activity (p less than 0.05).”

“In one group of subjects, facial flushing occurred in response to the administration of alcohol and chlorpropamide.”

“The normal breakdown of ethanol to acetic acid via acetaldehyde appears to be inhibited by chlorpropamide in the flushers.”

“We have described a new cause of asthma-that is, the interaction of chlorpropamide and alcohol.”

“ Alcohol almost invariably causes facial flushing in these patients when they are given chlorpropamide (chlorpropamide alcohol flush, C.P.A.F.).”

“Non-insulin-dependent diabetes is associated with facial flushing after alcohol in patients on chlorpropamide (chlorpropamide alcohol flushing, C.P.A.F.) especially when there is a family history of diabetes.”