As You 

A Guide 

Aging, M

and 

U.S. DEPARTMENT O

Substance Abuse and M

Food and Drug Admini

www.samhsa.gov

www.fda.gov
As we age, the need to take more

and different kinds of medications tends to

increase. Also, growing older means that

our bodies respond differently to alcohol

and to medication than when we were

younger.

You should be aware that:

• Some of your medicines won’t mix well

with other medications, including overthe-counter medications and herbal remedies.

• Many medications do not mix well with

alcohol.

• Changes in body weight can influence the

amount of medicine you need to take and

how long it stays in your body. Body circulation may slow down, which can affect

how quickly drugs get to the liver and

kidneys. In addition, the liver and kidneys

may work slower, which can affect how a

drug breaks down and is eliminated from

the body. Due to these changes, medicine

may remain in your body longer and create a greater chance of interaction.

To guard against potential problems with

medicines, become knowledgeable about

your medication and how it makes you feel.

Take steps on your own:

• Read the labels of your medications carefully, and follow the directions.

• Look for pictures or statements on your

prescriptions and pill bottles that tell you

not to drink alcohol while taking the particular medication. If you are taking medications for sleeping, pain, anxiety, or

depression, it is unsafe to drink alcohol.

• One alcoholic drink a day is the recommended limit for anyone over the age of

65 who has not been diagnosed with a

drinking problem. That’s 12 ounces of

beer, 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, or 5

ounces of wine.

• Talk to your health care professional

about all medicines you take, including

prescription; over-the-counter (OTC)

medications; and dietary supplements,

vitamins, and herbals.

• Tell your doctor about any food or medicine allergies you have.

• Keep track of side effects, and let your

doctor know immediately about any unexpected symptoms or changes in the way

you feel.

• Go through your medicine cabinet at least

once a year to get rid of old or expired

medicines.

• Have all of your medicine reviewed by

your doctor at least once a year.

2 3
• Memory trouble after having a drink or

taking medicine

• Loss of coordination (walking unsteadily,

frequent falls)

• Changes in sleeping habits

• Unexplained bruises

• Being unsure of yourself

• Irritability, sadness, depression

• Unexplained chronic pain

• Changes in eating habits

• Wanting to stay alone a lot of the time

• Failing to bathe or keep clean

• Having trouble finishing sentences

• Having trouble concentrating

• Difficulty staying in touch with family or

friends

• Lack of interest in usual activities

Medicine and alcohol misuse

can happen unintentionally.

Here are some signals that may indicate an alcohol or

medication-related problem:

4 5
List your prescription and

over-the-counter medicines

as well as your dietary

supplements and herbal

preparations.

Do you think you may be having trouble

with alcohol or medications? Do you want

to avoid a problem? Here are some things

you can do:

Talk to someone you trust:

• Talk with your doctor or other health care

professional. They can check for any

problems you may be having and discuss

treatment options with you.

• Ask for advice from a staff member at a

senior center or other program in which

you participate.

• Share your concerns with a friend, family

member, or spiritual advisor.

Share the right information

with your health care

professional:

• Make a list for your doctor of all your

medications.

• Remind your doctor or pharmacist about

any previous conditions that might affect

your ability to take certain medicines,

such as allergies, a stroke, hypertension,

serious heart disease, liver problems, or

lung disease.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you

want more information.

• Whenever possible, have your doctor or a

member of the medical staff give you

written advice or instructions.

6 7
For Health Car

Do not reproduce or dis

for a fee without specifi

from the Office of 

Substance Abuse a

Services Adm

U.S. Depa

Health and Hu

Printed 2004, 

U.S. DEPARTMENT O

Substance Abuse and M

Food and Drug Adminis

www.samhsa.gov

www.fda.gov

In the case of an em

To talk to a health care 

about possible alcohol 

dependency treatment ref

Abuse and Menta

Administ

(800) 662-H

TDD (800) 

or v

www.findtreatm

For more information abo

tact the Food and Dru

888-INFO-FD

www.f

Check the box b

local program or p

its address and/o