Sodium, potassium, sucrose and alcohol could be found in daily medication as excipients or as ionic counterpart of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Those substances called, in this work, «substances with potential negative effect (SNE)» bear the risk of potential unwanted pharmacological effect in elderly patients. This study is focused on French elderly patients and their daily routine medication. The quantity of each of the four SNE brought by the medication and reported by unit strength. This study identified 1,725 medicinal products containing at least one of the four SNE. 768 (8.8%) medicines containing more than 1 mmol of sodium per dose, especially in effervescent tablets. 25 (0.3%) containing more than 1 mmol of potassium per dose, especially medications indicated in bowel preparation (ATC class A06). 752 (8.6%) being formulated with sucrose, especially in liquid oral formulations (syrup, oral gel, oral suspensions/solutions). 331 (3.8%) were formulated with alcohol, mainly in topical formulations (38%). Elderly patient have, overall, 15.8% risk of being exposed, on a daily basis, to significant amounts of either sodium, potassium, sucrose and/or alcohol, for each prescribed medicines. Physicians, pharmacists and patients, when it comes to over the counter medicines, should be aware that, beside the active ingredient, recognized as a risk factor for side effects, there are other risk factors, and particularly those four SNE, to be taken into account for the safe use of medications