HEALTH

A small guide for storing medicines in summer

People who regularly take medicines during the summer period should pay attention to their storage, an aspect that is very important but sometimes little considered by doctors. In fact, high temperatures could change the chemical composition of the drug, thus posing a serious health hazard.

Silvio Garattini, founder and president of the Mario Negri Irccs Institute for Pharmacological Research, therefore tries to give some useful advice to all people, especially the elderly, who have to live with taking a large number of medicines every day.

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Guide to storage of household medicines
People who regularly take medicines during the summer period should pay attention to their storage, an aspect that is very important but sometimes little considered by doctors. In fact, high temperatures could change the chemical composition of the drug, thus posing a serious health hazard. Silvio Garattini, founder and president of the 'Mario Negri Irccs' pharmacological research institute, therefore tries to give some useful advice to all those people, especially the elderly, who have to live with taking a large number of medicines every day.
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Bad habits
Silvio Garattini, founder and president of the 'Mario Negri Irccs' pharmacological research institute, also talks about the place where medicines are stored. Many people keep them in the bathroom, but that would even be the worst place, given the high humidity that often reigns inside. With high temperatures, he explains, it would be better to store them in the refrigerator, to be sure that the heat does not alter or denature their chemical composition.
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Which medicines are the most "sensitive"
After numerous studies, experts agree that the most perishable medicines are those for epilepsy, anticoagulants, antihypertensives and those for diabetes, such as insulins, which should be stored in the fridge.
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A couple of tips for when traveling
The expert warns people who especially take a large number of medications, never to take them to the beach with them, for example, by putting them in a bag or pouch. Nor should they be left in a car in the sun in summer. They should be kept either at home or in a hotel. Also, especially when travelling, it would be best to always have the instruction leaflet with you. So do not mix blister packs in your suitcase, but always have the whole pack. Also when travelling, the recommendation is not to put the blister packs in the hold, but to always travel with them.
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Which ones keep best
Here, there are no specific categories of medicines that keep better than others. The general recommendation of experts is that small tablets usually keep much better than medicines that are taken in liquid form. When travelling, therefore, it is certainly better to prefer this format over liquid bottles.
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Medicines in the sun: yes or no?
Here the recommendation comes via a vademecum directly from Federfarma. If corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), antibiotics and hormone therapies are taken, exposure to the sun can lead to dermatitis and eczema or spots on the skin. Therefore, beware of the interaction between certain types of medication and UV radiation.
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