A female client is treated for trichomoniasis with metronidazole (Flagyl). The nurse instructs the client that:

A female client is treated for trichomoniasis with metronidazole (Flagyl). The nurse instructs the client that:

1. The medication should not alter the color of the urine.

2. She should discontinue oral contraceptive use during this treatment.

3. She should avoid alcohol during treatment and for 24 hours after completion of the drug.

4. Her partner does not need treatment.

Answer:- 3. She should avoid alcohol during treatment and for 24 hours after completion of the drug.

Trichomoniasis is a sexually-transmitted infection caused by the parasite, trichomone vaginalius. Metronidazole (Flagyl) is an antibiotic used for treating this disease. When taking metronidazole, it should be strictly avoided to consume alcohol during treatment and even after completing the medication course for at least 24 hours.

There are a couple reasons why alcohol should be avoided with metronidazole use:

First, metronidazole and alcohol both affect liver enzymes that the body uses to process medication. Such combinations can lead to a concentration of metronidazole in the body, which may be intensified and result into more severe side effects.

Second, mixing metronidazole and alcohol can cause a very unpleasant disulfiram-like reaction. Flushing, headache, nausea vomiting sweating and increased heart rate are involved in this reaction. This happens due to the fact that metronidazole and its metabolites interfere with how acetaldehyde is handled – a compound generated during alcoholic breakdown. These adverse effects occur as a result of the accumulation of acetaldehyde.

Hence, healthcare practitioners strongly recommend the patients under metronidazole treatment to avoid any alcohol drinking throughout the course of receiving this antibiotic and one full day after its completion. This measure will aid in avoiding possible complications as a result of interaction with alcohol and this specific antibiotic.