What you need to know about keeping medicine at home

Most people store their medications for years and do not have accurate information about the storage conditions of the medication. Improper storage of the drug and exposure to light and moisture can destroy them. Therefore, it is best to store medicines cool and protect them from light and moisture.

Do not store the medicine on the shelf.

Many people use the bathroom shelf to store medicines because it is dark and away from light. Still, you should know that the bathroom shelf should not be used to store medicine because the moisture of the bath vapor penetrates the frame, and the humidity causes the mixture to form. Destroying the hot water vapor that you open in the bathroom under the shelf enters the shelf and causes the gradual disappearance of the medicine.

Cabinets above the oven or dishwasher are not suitable for storing medicine

Cabinets above stoves or dishwashers exposed to heat and steam are not a good place to store drugs.

Do not store medicines in the refrigerator.

Do not refrigerate other medicines than your doctor advised, as the refrigerator is cold but humid and not suitable for storing medicines. Curious children can also easily reach them. Therefore, before putting the mixture in the fridge, read the labels and inscriptions on the box. For example, different types of insulin (a drug for people with diabetes) must be refrigerated before opening, and its shelf life outside the refrigerator depends on the style.

Keep medicines out of the reach of children.

Keep all medicines and supplements in a sealed container to protect children. Colorful pills like candy appeal to children, so iron-containing multivitamins should be kept out of their reach. Iron supplement poisoning causes 30% of drug-related deaths in children.

What is the right place to store the medicine?

The drawer of the bedroom closet or kitchen cabinets and all dry and cool places away from light and climate change is good to store the medicine.

Suitable temperature for storing medicines

All chemical reactions occur at higher temperatures. The rate of chemical reactions doubles at every 10 ° C. Drugs Storing a product for one month at 30 ° C is equivalent to storing three months at 20 ° C to accelerate chemical decomposition reactions.

Lighting :

It is accelerated by light irradiation, chemical decomposition, and the destruction of drugs. Some drugs are packaged in light-resistant packaging and dark-colored glass.

Humidity:

Moisture accelerates drugs’ decomposition and chemical decomposition, so medications should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place.

What container is suitable for storing medicine?

If you have children or children come to your home, use a container that children cannot open to store medicine and try to open the box before placing the mixture in the container to see how easily it opens. Do not move tablets from a larger can to a smaller can for easy carrying. Keep medicines in their original cans because some drugs, such as nitrate-containing heart medicines, should not be taken due to exposure to air, and the nitrate in them should evaporate.

Save medicines on the go.

Do not put medicines on the dashboard while traveling, as medications may be damaged by heat, cold, rain outside, or by heaters or air conditioners. If you are traveling by air because the cargo compartment gets very hot or cold during the flight, carry the medicine in your handbag and your main box, so that airport security officers know that a doctor has prepared it. Prescription.

Sharp objects are not allowed on the plane, but people with diabetes can take insulin, injection needles, and blood sugar needles. Therefore, if you have diabetes, your doctor can write down your medicine and the equipment you need, including syringes, etc., and take your doctor’s prescription with you when you travel. Take enough pills and insulin so that there is no problem. Be. And if necessary, you can take medicine again with a doctor’s prescription.

If you put your medicine in a pillbox during the trip, it will be easy and small to carry, but if you have an accident on the road and do not have the original medicine package with you, you will face serious problems. In this case, no information is available about your medical and medication history, and it is not possible to diagnose the medication you are taking.

How long can we keep the medicine?

You should look at the expiration date of the medicine and throw it away if it is old. Discard over-the-counter and over-the-counter medications. Discard over-the-counter medications immediately.

If you are not sure about the contents of the syrup bottle and the label on the bottle has been removed, do not store it anymore. Discard colored, stained, brittle, or odorless tablets.

Some medicines are harmful to the environment, and there is waste in drinking water, so to prevent environmental pollution, you should throw away expired medicines and medicines that you no longer need:

• Remove the medicines from the main cover and put them in the trash.
• Mix the tablets with other wastes such as tea and coffee and place them in a sealed bag or container.

Dumping medicines in the toilet or sewage causes them to enter the environment directly and create microbial resistance to antibiotics, so do not throw away outdated and rotten drugs this way.