Mistakes in Storage May Alter Medication
2011 was the year of natural disasters. Everything from icy winters, earthquakes and hurricanes, to soaring heat indices. Such extreme conditions may render your medications ineffective if not stored in a place.
- Keep updated lists of all medicines for each person of your household (an easy way to do this is by using ONE pharmacy) You may want to add other over-the-counter medicines, and herbal and vitamin supplements to that list.
- Medications looking like water or soft drinks (ie. Magnesium citrate laxative) need to be kept out of reach of children and others who may unintentionally drink them!
- Check to see that medications needing refrigeration are stored in an area where they will not freeze (ie. Insulin).
- Make sure the medications are kept separate from other foods. You might want to store them in a box or container that sets them apart.
- Store medicine in its original packaging. Do not mix different medications together in the same container. This will make it difficult to identify during an emergency.
- Store all medicines in one designated location together. The location should be a dry and cool place. The bathroom medicine cabinet is NOT the place to store medicine because of the heat and moisture of daily showers.
- Discard any medication that has expired or that your physician has discontinued. Also, if there is no label on the container, throw out the medication.
- Be sure to throw out medication in a way that animals or children will not get to them.
- Roughly, the average
- Yet, storage of these medications may render your investment ineffective.
- A cool dry place that is tested and recommended by pharmaceutical companies may save you a couple of hundred dollars!
The Use of Medicines in the
