How does tobacco affect my medication?

Tobacco can make certain medications less effective. It is important to be honest with your doctor or pharmacist about your tobacco use.

Tobacco can make medication break down faster than it should, causing medications to not work as intended.

People who use tobacco may need their medications adjusted. This is to make sure you are getting all the intended benefits of the medication.

Click here for a list of medications that tobacco can interact with.

Can tobacco worsen my condition?

It does not matter if you are on all the correct medications to manage your condition. Tobacco can negatively impact how your medication works.

• Increase side effects: Tobacco can worsen medication side effects like:
  • Blood clots
  • Trouble breathing
  • Vision loss
  • Increased heart rate
  • Nausea
  • Upset stomach
• Decrease medication absorption: Smoking tobacco can affect how your body absorbs medications. This is because tobacco smoke has chemicals that can interact with medications.
• Cause inflammation: Smoking can make any inflammation you already have in your body worse. This can stop inflammation and autoimmune medications from working how they should.

Tobacco can also have negative impacts on your medical conditions regardless of medications. For example, it can increase your risk of heart problems.

Common conditions tobacco can worsen include:

• High blood pressure
• Heart diseases
• Respiratory diseases

Your doctor or pharmacist can help you quit

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you use tobacco and want to quit. Here is how they can help:

• Talk to you about why quitting is important.
• Suggest over-the-counter medications.
• Recommend prescription medications.
• Monitor your medications. They may also explain how quitting can affect your medications or adjust them.

If you are an ExactCare patient and have questions about your medication, call us at 1-877-355-7225. Our pharmacists are here to help!

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, April 28). Health effects. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/index.htm#:~:text=Smoking%20causes%20cancer%2C%20heart%20disease,immune%20system%2C%20including%20rheumatoid%20arthritis.