5 Essentials to Keep in Your Medicine Cabinet After 50

A daily aspirin regimen, however, is only recommended for some. In fact, the latest guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force warn adults 60 and older not to start taking aspirin to lower their risk of a first heart attack or stroke, due to bleeding risks. People ages 40 to 59 who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease but don’t have a history of it should talk to a health care provider before starting an aspirin regimen. 

2. Heartburn helpers

If you find yourself experiencing indigestion more now than in your younger years, you’re not alone. There are some age-related changes that make older adults more prone to heartburn (acid reflux), Bennett says. The muscle at the bottom of the esophagus that prevents acid from coming back up can get weaker with age, she explains. “And it can just make you more prone to having the acid end up in your esophagus instead of staying where it’s supposed to, in your stomach,” she says.

It's good to know your heartburn triggers — such as tomato sauce or spicy wings — so you can avoid a flare-up or plan accordingly. And keep an eye on how often it’s occurring. “The magic number is if they’re having it more than two days per week, they really should follow up with a physician,” Ferreri says.

For occasional heartburn, however, chewable calcium carbonate tablets (Tums, Rolaids) are “perfectly safe and can give you some quick relief,” Bennett says. There are also some over-the-counter pills that can ease discomfort, including famotidine (Pepcid). “But it’s not something you would want to take regularly without talking to your doctor, because again, there might be something else going on,” she adds.

3. Allergy alleviators

If you can't escape a change in seasons without red, itchy eyes and a runny nose, allergy relievers should be a medicine-cabinet staple. But “this is a category where there has to be a lot of caution,” Bennett says.

Both Bennett and Ferreri advise older adults — especially those in their 70s, 80s and 90s — to steer clear of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) because of its side effects. It can increase the risk for falls, cause dry mouth and lead to urinary incontinence, they point out. Long-term use has also been linked to an increased risk of dementia.

Safer options include cetirizine (Zyrtec) and loratadine (Claritin), Bennett says. Ferreri also points to fexofenadine (Allegra) — just be sure to avoid grapefruit juice, which can render it ineffective. And for a runny, stuffy or itchy nose, try a nasal steroid spray or nasal saline solution.

4. Cold and cough

Sometimes the best cure for a cough is in your kitchen, not the medicine cabinet. Bennett recommends hot tea with honey or even ice water to relieve symptoms. “There’s a little bit of evidence that dark chocolate can help a cough, too,” she says.

If you feel like you need something stronger, look for a single-ingredient medicine “so that you are not accidentally taking something that might have higher risk,” Bennett adds.

The same goes for other cold-related symptoms: The advice from the experts is to treat the individual symptoms you have and to avoid combination medicines — say, a pain reliever plus decongestant — which are more likely to come with unwanted side effects. Another tip: If you have high blood pressure, stay away from decongestants altogether. These work by narrowing blood vessels, which in turn can increase the pressure.

Is your cough due to COVID-19? A box or two of rapid tests — you can request several for free from the federal government — can come in handy. Confirming an infection and starting isolation can help you prevent spreading the virus to others. Learning your COVID status quickly also means you may be able to get a jump-start on any coronavirus treatments that help fight off severe disease. 

5. First-aid fixes

Adhesive bandages, gauze, antibiotic ointment, calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream — these are all good things to have on hand for cuts, scrapes and run-ins with bugs and poison ivy.

If you have thin or sensitive skin — and skin does change with age — you may want to consider sensitive-skin bandages. This type of bandage is typically made of silicone or a less-sticky material “so that when you take it off, it doesn’t cause irritation,” Bennett says.

A note about vitamins and supplements

There isn’t a specific vitamin or supplement that older adults need to take, experts say, especially for people with a healthy diet. However, it’s not a bad idea to make sure you’re not vitamin D deficient (your doctor can diagnose this with a blood test), since vitamin D plays such an important role in bone health. Deficiency, which can be corrected with a supplement or extra sunshine, has also been linked to immune system disorders, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Calcium is another supplement to consider, especially for women. But again, it’s important to make this decision with your health care provider, since “the more things you add to your list [of medications you take], the more likely something’s going to interact with something else,” Bennett says. “In general, a healthy balanced diet is the best way for your body to really do a good job of absorbing what it needs.”

Editor's note: This story, originally published June 7, 2021, has been updated.