WILLOWBANK PHARMACY NOVEMBER

NEWSLETTER!!How to Store Your Medications:It is very important to store your medications safely and appropriately to prevent them from being misused and to ensure they retain their potency. Unless the label says otherwise, medications should always be stored in a secure location which is cool, dark and dry with no temperature fluctuations. There are a few simple rules you can follow to ensure that the medications in your home are safe to use at all times: Most medications should be stored below 25°C, which can be a problem during a

Queensland summer! A closet or cabinet in a hallway or bedroom is generally preferable to the bathroom or kitchen. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets tend to be warm and humid, speeding up the breakdown of medications. This can result in them losing their potency before the labelled expiration date or in some cases they can even become toxic.

Where possible leave medications in their original containers. This avoids mix-ups and allows you to keep track of directions and expiration dates.

Many medications are stored in amber bottles. This is because UV light can cause changes in the chemical structure of some medications, therefore it is always a good idea to store them away from light.

Keeping track of the expiry dates on your medications is very important. Under no circumstances should a medication be used or taken after the expiry date. Manufacturers calculate this extremely carefully, taking into account the nature of the drug, the preservatives which may have been used and the manner in which the drug should be stored. Make it a regular part of the household routine to check the expiry dates of all tablets, inhalers, injections, suspensions, eye drops and creams in your home.

Some medications come with specific instructions as to how long they can be open before they need to be thrown away. For example, eye drops should be discarded 28 days after opening and glyceryl trinitrate tablets 3 months after opening. Always write the date of opening on the bottle.

Some bottles of medication contain a ball of cotton wool to cushion the tablets. Once the container has been opened throw the cotton ball away as it can draw in moisture and degrade the medication.

Make sure that all medications are kept well out of reach of children. Consider storing all of your family's medications in a locked cabinet or storage box.

You May Be Eligible For a Government Funded MedsCheck Or Diabetes MedsCheck!!! Just Ask In

Store!!!How To Store Medications That Require Refrigeration: Many liquid medications and injection vials should be stored in the fridge, but store in

the fridge only if the label says so. Conditions inside the fridge are usually too cold and too wet for medications that are only meant to be kept below 25°C. Just as medications can degrade if they get too hot, many drugs will also "spoil" in too cold temperatures. Big fluctuations in temperatures can cause tiny crystals to form in liquids, making the drug inactive or possibly even dangerous to use. Make sure the lids are firmly closed and the containers are kept on the top shelf of the

refrigerator where small children cannot reach them. If the medication accidentally freezes, check with a pharmacist to make sure that it is still usable.

How to Store Medications While Out Or Away On Holidays: If you need to take medication while you are out running errands on a hot day then take with you only what you need for the day, and leave the remainder at home. Medications that should be stored below 25°C are unlikely to be affected by one hot day. Medications normally kept in the fridge can be transported in a small esky.

Storing medications while on holidays will require more effort. Above all, don’t store them in the glove box or on the dashboard of the car. You need to find a solution that keeps your medications as cool and dry as possible. You could pack them inside an insulated esky bag or inside your suitcase in between layers of clothing, If your vehicle has air-conditioning then store medications in the car rather than in the boot. If you are flying, then pack your medication in a carry-on bag instead of a checked suitcase. This is particularly important for some medications such as insulin as putting these into the hold of a plane can result in the medication freezing and being destroyed. Take an extra supply of all medications in case your return is delayed.

Pharmacists can be funny too!!!After examining a patient who had been complaining of feeling unwell the doctor recommended the following regimen: Take the green pill with a glass of water after getting up; take the blue pill with glass of water after lunch; just before bed take the red pill with another glass of water. “Doctor, doctor what is wrong with me?” the patient asked. And the Doctor said “You're not getting enough water!” References: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007189.htm http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Medicines_safety_issues http://www.nps.org.au/consumers/publications/medicines_talk/mt8/in_the_heat2