Be careful before taking medication. Try to first check whether the drug is still suitable for consumption or has expired. Instead of recovering, taking expired drugs can actually be fatal to health.
As with food and drinks, medicines also have an expiration date. Information on the expiration date that is usually printed on this package is usually preceded by writing exp / expiry date / expiry / exp date / use by / use before. If past that date, the drug should not be consumed again.
Recognize the Drug Expiration Date
Drug manufacturers are required to put an expiration date on the product packaging of all their products. This date is information that the medicine that you are going to take is safe and provides maximum benefit until the stated date. For example, if a drug's expiration month is December 2020, then this drug should not be consumed after 31 December 2020.
In addition, sometimes there is also a statement of use by which is printed on the drug packaging. If you find that information, the drug should not be used again at the end of the month before the date stated. For example if written use by January 2019, then the drug should not be consumed after December 31, 2018. After that date, the drug may still be safe, but no longer effective as before the expiration date.
Drug manufacturers also display other information such as discard 7 days after opening. This statement means that if it remains after 7 days of opening and consumption, the drug must be discarded, or returned to the seller's pharmacy to be destroyed even if it has not expired. This is the best step to get rid of drugs instead of throwing them in the trash or in the toilet because it has the potential to pollute the environment.
Apart from endangering the body, the effectiveness of the drug will decrease if consumed after the expiry date. The decrease in effectiveness of this drug occurs because the chemicals contained in the drug gradually become inactive due to the influence of oxygen, light, and heat. In addition, this change also results in changes in the composition of chemicals contained therein.
How to reduce dangerous risks
As previously explained, taking an outdated drug can be fatal, especially if the drug is used to treat serious conditions such as severe allergic reactions, angina or chest pain, insulin for diabetes, and drugs used to vaccinate. This is the main reason why you need to pay more attention to the expiration date of the drugs used.
To prevent you from taking drugs that have expired, try checking the medicine box at home regularly every 6 months. Then separate drugs that are still suitable for consumption, drugs that are nearing the expiration date, and drugs that have expired.
Keep in mind that some drugs have a short expiration date so they cannot be stored long after opening. Some of the drugs include:
Eye drops
Antibiotic concoction
Unlike the two types of drugs above, tablets in the form of drugs usually have a longer expiration time than those in liquid form.
To keep the drug in good quality until the expiration date, you need to follow the storage instructions on the packaging or label of the drug. Generally drugs need to be stored in a dark place, under 25 ° C, in a refrigerator with a temperature of around 4 ° C, and out of reach of children.
The medicine cabinet on the bathroom wall, and the first aid kit in the car are actually not the right place to store the medicine because it is damp and hot. The drug should be stored in a dry, cool place and not exposed to sunlight. Some types of drugs, may need to be stored in the refrigerator.
If you are already taking drugs that have expired, see a doctor immediately! That way, doctors can immediately provide appropriate treatment to prevent the negative effects of these drugs. Before it's too late, let's rearrange your medicine box and start to pay attention to the expiration date of the medicine that you are going to consume.
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