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Fortune
Fortune
Liz Seegert

Mixing prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines can be dangerous—especially for older adults. Here's how to protect your health

Senior woman taking medicine from pill box. (Credit: Getty images)

From pain relievers and cold pills, to vitamins and sleep aids, many products you buy at your local drugstore can have harmful health consequences as you age. Older adults absorb and metabolize medications differently from younger people, which affects how they work in the body. Even seemingly harmless over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can interfere with prescription medications, making them less effective and possible leading to long-term health damage.

How to know what's safe and what's not

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