Among the most common and mild side effects that medications can cause are drowsiness, dry mouth, or mood changes. However, it is true that there are others that are more unknown to those who consume them by medical prescription. Among the most curious: giving a false positive in a drug test or causing nightmares.
We must also not forget that there are also certain ingredients and condiments with which they can interact, so if they are used together they can endanger the patient's health. An example of this is cinnamon and statins, ginger and anti-inflammatories or garlic and anticoagulants. Therefore, it is best to carefully read the leaflets included in their packaging to know the contraindications.
Elena Monje, a pharmacist better known on TikTok as @infarmarte, who has a medical dissemination account, has explained a fact that many are probably unaware of about her medications. This professional has revealed that there are some drugs that can cause nightmares.
Why does this happen?
A nightmare is a dream that can cause a strong emotional response, usually fear or terror. In fact, there are two types: those that are apparently not linked to any traumatic episode and occur inexplicably at some point in the dream, and those that are. These occur in the REM phase, which is the phase of deep sleep, and correspond to a phenomenon called parasomnia. However, it is possible that the intake of certain medications can also cause them.
As this pharmacist points out, this side effect can be caused by all those drugs that “inhibit the REM phase of sleep.” This is because they alter the chemical balance of our brain. In addition, it also warns that with the cessation of use of some of them a rebound effect may occur that causes this type of dreams.
What drugs can cause nightmares
Among the list of drugs that can produce this side effect, antidepressants such as fluoxetine, mirtazapine, paroxetine and escitalopram stand out; benzodiazepines such as zolpidem, lormetazepam, alprazolam and diazepam, and antibiotics such as clarithromycin or ciprofloxacin.
On the other hand, you can also find Parkinson's drugs (levodopa / carbidopa), beta blockers (propranolol and atenolol) and statins (pravastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin). The latter are usually used to treat cholesterol and it must also be taken into account that it has also been shown that they can interact with cinnamon, if consumed in large quantities because their joint use “can cause hepatitis.”
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