jan/feb, 2020 | The Health
column
19
Store your
medicines
properly
As our medicines tend to be an
important part to get better, we
should know how to store them
the right way
By Muhammad Mawardi Zakaria
T
he effects of treatment from a
medicine may not be achieved
fully if the medicine is not being
kept the right way, especially
ones that are used to manage
chronic illnesses such as high-
blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, and heart
disease.
If the medicines are not being kept prop-
erly, it can severely impact the patients when
in dire need. Imagine if the inhaler used to
manage an asthma patient’s condition was
not effective due to improper storage: It can
lead to unimaginable danger to the patient.
The wrong way
Each medicine has a different way to store
them, which has created some confusion
among patients needing them. It is impor-
tant then, for patients to know about the
proper way to store their medicines to
preserve its quality, effectiveness, and safety.
Normally, the way for proper storage of
medicines are printed by the manufacturers
on the label or the packaging. Moreover,
pharmacists also would typically explain
ways to use and store the medicines to the
patients during the dispensing process.
Patients are advised to refer to any phar-
macist if and when any confusion would
rise up about how to properly store their
medicines.
How it should be kept
There are several basic factors needed to be
practiced by patients in medicine storage.
For one, all medicines should be kept in its
packaging (bottle or blister pack), hidden
and out of reach of infants and children.
This should be common practice for every-
one, given children’s tendency to put random
things in their mouth.
Secondly, it is considered good practice for
patients to label their medications. This is to
keep things in order and prevent mix-ups.
The last basic factor in storing medicines
is to keep medicines with other medi-
cines only, and not to mix them up with
other things in the house. A medicine cabi-
net to store all medicines you have should
suffice.
Another added initiative you can take is
to separate the consumed medicines (tablets
or syrups) with the external use medicines
(creams, lotions, ointments, eye/eardrops).
This is to prevent from accidentally consum-
ing external use medicines.
An ideal way to keep medicines is to use a cabinet such as
pictured.An ideal way to keep medicines is to use a cabinet such as
pictured.
Mawardi Zakaria
The types matter
It is pertinent that medicines with instruc-
tions to refrigerate is kept refrigerated,
because the quality, effectiveness, and safety
of it will be jeopardised otherwise.
Some of the examples of refrigerated
medicines are insulins for diabetics, some
types of eyedrops, and antibiotic suspension
that are mixed beforehand.
Another crucial mater that should be
emphasised is medicines should be kept
in the car. This is because cars typically
endure high temperature during the day,
especially in this Malaysian weather. This
can effectively affect the effectiveness of the
medicines.
Patients must understand that temper-
ature-sensitive medicines will spoil if they
are kept in less than ideal environment.
Therefore, the right temperature must be
maintained at all times should they need to
be transferred from one place to another.
A suggestion is to use a cooler bag together
with an ice pack to maintain the temperature
during transport. And never forget to quickly
put it back in the refrigerator once you have
reached your destination. —The Health
The right temperature
The basic factors in proper medicine stor-
age as above can be common sense to
many. However, one factor in storing your
medicine should be addressed better. That
is the temperature of the place you store the
medicines.
Not all medicines should be kept in the
refrigerator, as some tend to practice (espe-
cially with medicines in the form of syrup).
The right temperature of storage is typically
printed on the label or packaging of the
medicine, so read carefully before use.
As a general guideline however, any type
of medicine is usually kept in dry, room tem-
perature environment (Yes, for syrups too).
The exception is when the temperature is
specifically stated on the label or packaging.
For example: If the label states that the
medicine should be kept between 2°C to 8°C,
that means it needs to be refrigerated. Keep
the medicine in a sealed container and store
in the middle of the refrigerator. Also, do not
store it at the door or in the freezer.
Medicines should be kept hidden and away from children, as cases in
the US affects many children from accidental consumption.
Mawardi Zakaria is a pharmacist from the
National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division,
Ministry of Health Malaysia.