How to store medicines

All of us from childhood are taught that every thing should lie in its place. Then it will be easier to find, and it will be better preserved. Therefore, the food - in the refrigerator, perfume - in a box, clothes - on a hanger. And what about the drugs? After all, they are all so different. Many of us store them in the kitchen or in the bathroom, and those that we need every day, for convenience put on the bedside table next to the bed. And neither of these is true. Usually, tablets and potions are stored in one place, only occasionally forming a temporary first-aid kit, where first-aid preparations are made up. For example, if you plan a trip to the forest or a trip to the country.

In any case, medicines should be stored in accordance with the prescriptions of pharmacists. Find them is very easy: just look at the instructions for use. It is important to take into account several factors:

1. Temperature

• Most drugs are stored at room temperature (15-20 degrees Celsius). This usually refers to tablets and aerosols, i.e. to solid and gaseous forms.
• If the annotation specifies special storage conditions (dry and cool place), you should put the drug in the refrigerator. These are medicines that retain their properties at a temperature of 5 to 15 degrees Celsius. Of course, in the freezer they should not be put, because they will simply freeze and become unsuitable. In modern refrigerators for such cases, there are special departments located on the door.
• Soft medicinal forms (candles, ointments, patches) can be stored on the middle shelf of the refrigerator. And on the lowest ones we will put liquid medicines (medicines, syrups, etc.).

2. Humidity

• Tablets and powders easily absorb moisture, so store them in a dry place. Therefore, the bathroom - not the best option, as well as the verandah in the country and other rooms in which the humidity level is constantly changing.
• Preparations stored in the refrigerator should also be protected from condensation by first placing them in a plastic bag or a sealed box.
  

3. Light

• All medicines should be protected from direct sunlight, and it is best to completely remove into the closet. Especially it concerns preparations in transparent bottles.
  

4. Contact with air

• It is important to ensure that the vials are tightly closed, otherwise the irreversible reaction of chemicals and oxygen can start, which can change the properties of the drug.
• Tablets should be stored in factory sealed packaging.
  

5. Accessibility for family members

• Of course, it would be good if you do not have to search for the necessary medicines for a long time. Therefore, access to the first aid kit should be convenient. However, do not forget about safety, if your home has small children, people with poor eyesight or mental illness, and animals.

Where is the best way to store medicines? You can buy a special first aid kit or adjust a suitable box. It should be spacious and clean. The material from which it will be made is not so important: plastic, cardboard, metal - everything will work.

Liquid and solid preparations should be stored separately. Therefore, ideally, the first-aid kit should consist of several departments:

• tablets, powders, granules, pills;
• drops, balms, tinctures;
• ointments and external solutions;
• dressing material (bandages, patches);
• special medical products (thermometer, heating pad, gloves, pipettes);
• herbs.

This way you can always find what you need quickly.

• Liquid medicines, especially those that are very dyed (iodine, zelenka, different tinctures), it is better to place in a container with a sealed bottom.
• Oxidizers (iodine, manganese, hydrogen peroxide) can spoil both tablets, and even rubber and furniture. Keep bottles with these funds in glass closed jars.
• Medicinal plants absorb moisture and odors well, they should not be stored in conventional plastic bags, but in paper bags. Also suitable are cardboard boxes.
• It is not superfluous to make a list of available medicines with the terms of their validity, which should be fixed on the cover of the first-aid kit. Periodically conduct an "inspection" and all the delayed drugs ruthlessly destroy. They are of no use for sure.
• Keep medicines along with their original packages and annotations.
• Keep the first aid kit away from children. Never let him play with medication, even if it seems to you harmless. It is better if he does not know where it is stored at all.