Storing Medicine: Do’s & Don’ts
More than one in five Americans take at least one medication, which means widespread access to prescription medication in homes. Therefore, proper storage of medications is essential for two reasons: the safety of people and pets in your home and the efficacy of the medicine.
The Medicine Cabinet is Overrated
Heat, air, light, and moisture can damage your medication. Therefore, it is ironic that most people store their medication in the medicine cabinet, in the room of their home that produces the most heat, humidity, and temperature changes. Instead, find a cool, dry place to store your medications. Consider keeping your medications in your bedroom or kitchen, away from appliances.
Safety First
Make sure to keep medication, vitamins, and supplements out of reach of children:
Never leave medication out or at the bedside of a sick child.
Most prescription medication has a safety cap on it. After accessing your daily dose, be sure to relock the safety cap.
If you have children in your home, choose to store your medication in a cabinet or container with a child latch or lock.
Always keep medicine in its original container.
Expiration Dates Matter
Take an inventory of the medications in your home twice yearly. During these bi-annual checks, check the expiration dates and throw out old or unused medicines. Do not flush medication down the toilet as this is harmful to the water supply. Call your local pharmacist to ask where you can dispose of your unused medicine or search for community “drug give back” campaigns in your area.
Use your judgment when taking medication that you have not accessed in a while. If the pills have changed color, texture, or smell, it is probably best to throw them away and contact your pharmacy for a replacement.
Travel Smart
When traveling, always keep your medication in your checked baggage to lower the risk of being lost or stolen. Additionally, this will keep your medication from being exposed to the extreme temperature changes in the cargo hold. Finally, make your trip through security easier by keeping medication in the original containers.
If you are traveling by car, do not keep medication in the glove compartment of your vehicle because it can get too hot or cold in that location.
By taking a couple of minutes to assess how you store medication in your home, you will keep your family safe and preserve the life of your medications.
Rogers Pharmacy is here to help you with all of your medication and health care needs. Rogers Pharmacy will provide you with both superior products and knowledgeable staff. With the right products, you will be back on your feet in no time.
Stop by and see us at 125 East South Avenue in Maryville, or give us a call at 660-562-2300.
Sources:
https://herohealth.com/blog/dos-and-donts-for-storing-pills/
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000534.htm
https://www.lenoirwellness.org/the-dos-and-donts-of-safe-medicine-storage
Comments
Post a Comment