Cleaning in the home medicine cabinet is an activity that needs to be done from time to time. Expired drugs and dietary supplements must be removed from it, and dressings must be replenished. In this case, it is not worth making stocks. Check how long you can keep opened medicines and where to throw them away?
Even swabs and patches have their expiry date, after it the sterility of the first is not guaranteed, while the second may lose its adhesive properties. Expired medications can be dangerous. Therefore, check the contents of the first aid kit every six months.
Do drugs stop working after the deadline?
Occasionally, an expired drug may still work, but more assured that it will lose its properties and be ineffective. There is also a risk that as a result of the decomposition of active substances, it may cause harm and, for example, cause side effects (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting).
On the other hand, if a drug has an expiration date, for example, on October 25, 2013, it does not mean that it will stop working the next day. But the manufacturer does not guarantee that it is safe to take the drug after the expiry date.
Note!Often, only the month and year are given instead of the full date, which means that the drug is effective until the last day of that month. And one more thing: It's better to give up buying the drug when its validity ends soon, because we won't have time to use the drug.
This will be useful to youWhere to throw away expired medications?
Do not throw any medication into the trash can or flush it with water. Expired drugs should be taken to the pharmacy. Even if there is no special container in it, the pharmacist will take it and give it away for recycling.
How much can open syrup, drops, antibiotic stand?
Medicines packed in the so-called the blisters can be used until the expiry date. But if, for example, the packaging has been divided in half and you cannot read the date on it (it is embossed on the box and on the foil), you must not take them. Same as single tablets that fell out of the packaging.
Eye drops usually have a long term, but must be used within 4 weeks of opening the package, then they lose sterility. Therefore, they are usually packed in small bottles or disposable packaging.
Suspensions (e.g. antibiotics made from baby powder) have an even shorter life:after mixing the powder with water, they can be used for 5 to 14 days.
Syrups and medications in liquid form, although they have a long expiry date, age quickly as a result of our behavior: we do not tighten the closure properly (especially when it is stuck with syrup), expose it to light and heat.
Medicines made to order have a short expiry date, it depends on the form of the preparation: from a week (e.g. mixtures with sugar) to 3 months (those on alcohol). The pharmacy always puts this date on the packaging.
"Zdrowie" monthly