Why is it harmful to mix alcohol with over-the-counter medications?

Mixing alcohol with over-the-counter medications is harmful primarily because it can enhance side effects and cause dangerous interactions. Alcohol can alter the way the body metabolizes medications, leading to increased or decreased levels of the drug in the bloodstream. This can intensify the effects of the medication, potentially resulting in overdose symptoms or unexpected reactions. For instance, taking alcohol with medications that cause drowsiness can increase sedation levels, impair motor skills, and impair judgment, making it quite dangerous.

Additionally, alcohol can cause gastrointestinal irritation and can affect the liver, where many medications are processed. This interaction can lead to serious health risks, such as liver damage, respiratory problems, or cardiovascular issues, depending on the type of medication being used.

Other choices provided do not accurately capture the dangers associated with mixing alcohol and medications. While it's true that certain medications can be affected more than others, the implication in that response is not broad enough to reflect the widespread risks. Saying that alcohol makes medications ineffective is misleading because, while it may alter their effectiveness, the more pressing concern is the exacerbation of harmful side effects. Claiming that there are no significant risks is fundamentally incorrect, given the well-documented health hazards posed by such combinations.