Take the danger out of storing medicine at home

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): It is wise to have a medicine box at home to get rid of light symptoms of illness.

What kind of medicines do you need to have in the box and what knowledge do you need to have to store them properly so that you will not fall victim to expired drugs?

Dr. Dharmika Jayaningrat, deputy head of the emergency room of the state run Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Jakarta, categorizes medicines at home into three types: first aid, specific medicine for specific diseases in the family and over- the-counter (OTC) medicines for general health symptoms,

First aid drugs include Mercurochrome, plaster, gauze bandages, antiseptic, alcohol and a splint for fractured bones.

Specific medicines to cure specific health problems in the family may be spray for asthma symptoms and insulin for diabetics.

Several OTC medicines, which the hospital's survey shows as the most popular as a first treatment for early symptoms of illness are those to relieve the symptoms of cold, cough, diarrhea, constipation and food poisoning.

However, Dharmika said if symptoms persist after taking the medicine for three days, it is highly recommended that you consult your physician because it may be an indication of a more serious illness.

In a food poisoning case, activated charcoal, which is an antidote for many forms of poisoning, will absorb the poisonous matter and later be discharged through feces.

Vomiting, is a symptom of poisoning and the body has a natural mechanism to discharge the poisonous matter. It usually occurs between 30 minutes and two hours after the intake of the poison.

A visit to a doctor is needed for patients with continuous vomiting, as it can lead to serious dehydration and can be fatal.

Dharmika suggests readoption of traditional practices to get rid of certain symptoms, such as drinking a glass of warm milk to help ease mild symptoms of food poisoning. Those who have a cold, if they take a good rest, combined with eating hot chicken soup and taking vitamin C, it will do the trick.

"These old traditions are harmless and if it makes you feel better, just do it," says Dharmika.

Yulia Trisna, a pharmacist with the hospital, says the customers can only use medicines with a green circle on the packaging for OTC medicines and a blue circle for limited OTC medicines.

Precautions are needed as many pharmaceutical firms do not clearly state the expiry date, but they can still check the production date as a tablet or capsule, packaged in an individual air-tight container can last for five years, while specially formulated tablets can last for only three months.

Sterile liquid medicines, like eye, ear and nose drops could last for only 30 days after the cap is opened and using it after the expiry date or for an extended period of time may cause irritation and infection.

You also need to examine the medicine's container, the color, the liquid consistency, the smell, the shape and the compactness of the medicines as basic indicators for safe usage.

It is advised that you identify symptoms, choose the right medicines to treat the symptoms and to read the indication, contraindication, dosage, possible side effects and possible adverse interaction with other medicines, food or drinks that could diminish the effectiveness of the medicine or give other side effects.

Here are some tips from Yulia on storing medicines at home properly:

* Make sure that the medicines are out of children's reach.

* In the box, put oral drugs separate from topical ones to minimize the possibility of taking the wrong medicines.

* Read carefully the manufacturers' instructions for proper storage. Most of the medicines must be kept in dry and clean places away from direct sunlight or humidity, while suppositories are usually kept in the refrigerator.

* Always keep the medicine inside their respective packaging along with the information on the indication, dosage and contraindication.

* Never store different tablets or capsules in the same packaging, because it may lead to the wrong consumption.

* Discard medicines which show signs of discoloration, deformation and defective packaging.