STORING PHARMACEUTICALS-Properly Storing Medicine

Every year there are reports of children and even adult visitors taking drugs from medicine cabinets in homes, some of which end with tragic accidents. Many people have large numbers of pharmaceuticals in their homes, especially if they have an injury managed by pain medication, regular prescription refills, and even over the counter medications, then it is important to keep these products secured. There are a number of different solutions for properly storing pharmaceuticals, and here we’ll go over a few of the different ways to keep medications safe and sound.

Storing pharmaceuticals is best done with a secure locker or cabinet, which can be opened using a combination lock, sturdy padlock, or deadbolt. Those using this type of locker should not leave the combination or key where others can easily find it. There are plenty of types of pharmaceutical storage units that can also help you keep your pills and other medicines organized. A locked container is the best solution to drug storage because it provides a safe place for medications, but in order for it to be secure you must remember to put medications back inside after use and to keep it locked when not in use.

Other solutions for storing pharmaceuticals depend on your particular situation. For example, a couple with a very small child can reasonably expect that keeping medications in a high counter that is well out of reach of the child will keep them safe. However, many children can get to medicine cabinets and other common places for storage simply by climbing or standing on something, so those with more adventurous young children should make sure that they cannot access the area where medications are kept. If you have any doubts about whether your child can get to the medicine cabinet, keep it locked. Even over the counter medicines like acetaminophen can be harmful in large doses, and even fatal to small children. Worse, some children may initially mistake small pills for candy.

Storing pharmaceuticals in a safe place is the best way to prevent any accidents involving medications from occurring in your home. Knowing how many pills you have left for each type of medication you take is a good way to keep track of your medicines, and using a pill counter for this task makes it easy and fast. Proper medication storage should be a priority for anyone, especially people with children.

The best place to store your medicine is in a cool dry place, out of a child’s reach. A safety box or locked cabinet is generally a good idea.Many people tend to store their medicine the bathroom, which is probably one of the worst places you can store medicine, especially when it comes to tablets and capsules. the warm muggy temperature can cause aspirin to break down into acetic (vinegar) which can irritate the stomach.

If you store your medicine in the kitchen, it’s best to store away from the stove, sink, and hot appliances. In some cases medicine can become toxic if stored improperly. It’s best to read the labels that are attached from the pharmacy or if over the counter medication, storage recommendations from the manufacturer.

 

Tips for Storing Medicine:

Always keep your medicine in its original container. Keep the national poison control programmed in  a phone or posted 1-800-222-1222. Each year, nearly 60,000 children under the age of 5 end up in the emergency room due to medicine ingestion, so always remember to keep safety caps on properly.

Don’t leave cotton in the medicine bottle, as this can bring moisture to the container.

Check for expiration dates, and discard any medications that have been expired.

Always keep medications out of the reach of children.

it’s best to throw away any unused medication using the recommendation Procedures from the food and Drug Administration.

Remember to be safe with the storage of your medicines, as this will keep you and your family safe.