Grapefruit may turn more drugs deadly

NBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman discusses a newly released study that expands the list of drugs adversely affected by grapefruit.

By JoNel Aleccia, NBC News

If you kick-start your day with a glass of grapefruit juice, be careful.

Canadian scientists say the number of common prescription drugs that can interact badly with the tart citrus is climbing, with the potential for dangerous, even deadly, results.

Twenty-six new drugs that can cause serious harm when mixed with grapefruit have been introduced in the past four years alone, bringing the total to 43, said Dr. David Bailey, a clinical pharmacologist at the Lawson Health Institute Research Center in London, Ontario. Thats an average of more than six new drugs a year.

What Ive seen has been disturbing, said Bailey, lead author on a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Its hard to avoid putting a drug out on the market that is not affected by grapefruit juice.

Joerg Beuge / featurepics.com

The number of drugs that interact with grapefruit is climbing, with potentially serious results, scientists say.

More than 85 drugs that interact with whole grapefruit, grapefruit concentrate or fresh grapefruit juice have been identified, though not all have serious consequences. Those that do, however, can cause problems that include acute kidney failure, respiratory failure, gastric bleeding -- and worse.

When I say sudden death, Im not being sensational, said Bailey, who said 13 drugs may be lethal when mixed with grapefruit.

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Grapefruit may turn more drugs deadly