First of all, remember that many products contain more active ingredients than you need. And yes, these extra active ingredients have side effects and can interfere with other medicines you take.
The best advice is to verify the list of active ingredients in the package and choose a product that targets your specific symptoms. If you’re taking more than one product, make sure you’re not going to double the ingredients. Acetaminophen, in particular, is found in many cough and cold medicines, as well as in some prescription pain medicines. While safe in low doses, it can be toxic to the liver at high doses (above 4 grams per day). Most of these items contain several ingredients, many of which have potentially severe side-effects.
Do not even think they’re safe for you, please read labels carefully and get advice from doctor/ pharmacist if you have doubt… These precautions are especially necessary if you have underlying medical conditions , such as high blood pressure or heart attacks.
To know about how to safely choose medications safely ? Read this https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cough-and-cold-season-is-arriving-choose-medicines-safely-2020092220981