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DANGERS OF USING EXPIRED MEDICATIONS

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Have you checked your medicine cabinet lately for expired medications? Perhaps you should!

Medications are safe until the expiration date. After that time, they can cease to work and also become poisonous . If not stored properly, drugs may even expire before their expiration date ( if they are subjected to high humidity, heat, or sunlight for example.) The best storage for most medications is in dark places with an ideal temperature of between 59 and 65 degrees. Recommended places for storage are the fridge, hall closet, or dresser drawers.

 Make sure to place all medications out of the reach of children. Expired medications are the leading cause of poisoning in children. Expired medicines should be properly disposed of where children and pets cannot locate them. Always keep your medicine in its original container with the expiration date listed on the label. Expired medicine is not limited to prescription drugs but also holds true for "over-the-counter" medicines. This includes birth control pills, fever antacids, allergy medicines, cough and cold drugs, and even antibiotic ointments.

 

 

Last Updated on Friday, 24 April 2009 16:54  

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