Many medicines, whether prescription, over the counter or herbal remedies, can be dangerous or even deadly when mixed with alcohol, says NIH's National Institute on Aging. Before taking any medicine, the institute says, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you can safely drink alcohol.

The institute points to a few examples. Some products, such as cough syrups and laxatives, already contain a lot of alcohol, so a drink on top of them adds to the effect. Alcohol combined with some sleeping pills, pain pills or anxiety and anti-depression medicine can be deadly, the institute says. Many older people take medications every day, which it calls a particular concern.

Age changes the picture too. The institute reports that how the body handles alcohol changes as we get older, and some people feel its effects more strongly without drinking any more than before. Families and health care workers can miss the signs because the side effects of drinking, such as trouble with balance, look like other conditions linked to aging.

Even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment, coordination and reaction time, the institute says, raising the risk of falls, car crashes and other accidents. As you grow older, health problems or prescribed medicines may require that you drink less or avoid alcohol altogether.

If you or someone you love is thinking about changing drinking habits, the institute points to the Rethinking Drinking website from NIH's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and it encourages talking with a doctor about options that can help.