{"id":606895,"date":"2026-04-26T05:06:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T05:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/606895\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T05:06:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T05:06:13","slug":"medication-storage-and-dosing-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/606895\/","title":{"rendered":"Medication Storage and Dosing Mistakes to Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"

The center, \u201ccore area\u201d of the fridge is ideal, Harriott says, but make sure that the medication is \u201cwell packaged so that it\u2019s not mistakenly dropped and broken and spilled, or taken inappropriately by someone else just because it\u2019s easily accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t keep any medications in the fridge unless the drug\u2019s instructions or your pharmacist tells you to. The cool temperature may degrade some drugs.<\/p>\n

Leave chilled injectable drugs at room temperature for about 15 minutes before using them, as injecting cold medicines can be painful, Schuh says.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"illustration<\/p>\n

Drugs that are commonly abused, such as opioids, anti-anxiety medications and stimulants, should be locked up.<\/p>\n

Ryan Johnson<\/p>\n

Consider locking up your drugs<\/p>\n

If you take drugs that are commonly abused, such as opioids, anti-anxiety medications or stimulants, storing them in a locked safe or a box that can\u2019t be moved is a good idea, especially if you\u2019re concerned someone might take them, Harriott says.<\/p>\n

However, she doesn\u2019t recommend locking up emergency\ufeff-response medications, such as asthma inhalers or epinephrine autoinjectors, that you might need quickly.<\/p>\n

Another reason to lock up your medicines is for \u201cextra security\u201d when others live in your household, or if friends and family visit regularly, Tantipinichwong says. Or if children visit, adds Schuh.<\/p>\n

Keep track of expiration dates, and clear out regularly<\/p>\n

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all prescription and over-the-counter drugs to display an expiration date. It\u2019s printed somewhere on a box or bottle of an OTC medication, and on the pharmacy\u2019s label for a prescription. Groves emphasizes the importance of following expiration dates, since products are tested to ensure they\u2019re safe and effective until that date.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over time, medications can degrade, even if they\u2019re stored properly, so an expired drug may not be as potent or effective, Schuh explains. Expired eye drops, for instance, can become unsterile and contaminated, leading to eye infections<\/a> and other conditions.<\/p>\n

With expired drugs, \u201cyour dose may not be really the dose that you\u2019re expecting,\u201d Harriot says, so \u201cit\u2019s not working as well as you would anticipate.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, insulin, epinephrine autoinjectors and nitroglycerin (to treat chest pain) might not work in life-saving situations, creating a dangerous situation, Schuh says. Tantipinichwong adds that taking expired antibiotics may not fully treat an infection and could instead lead to antibiotic resistance. Another issue is that some medications can become toxic past the expiration date, Schuh says, such as the antibiotic tetracycline (Doxycycline), which, if taken past its expiration date, can lead to kidney damage<\/a> in some people.<\/p>\n

If an expiration date is worn off or you can\u2019t read it, Harriott says to \u201cget something new, just to be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take medications as directed<\/p>\n

Groves emphasizes that you should follow dosing instructions to effectively and safely treat your medical condition or symptoms. That applies to both prescriptions and OTC drugs. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOver-the-counter medications are much more accessible and convenient, but they\u2019re not without risks,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Acetaminophen<\/a> (best known as Tylenol) overdoses are responsible for thousands of emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths each year, mainly because people perceive it to be safe \u2014 and it is for most people when taken properly, according to the FDA<\/a>. But many people take too much acetaminophen. Harriott says it\u2019s a common ingredient in OTC cold medicines\ufeff, which some may pair with a pain reliever. That combo could potentially lead to an overdose and cause liver damage.<\/p>\n

Ibuprofen<\/a> (commonly sold under the brand name Advil) and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can have similar effects, Groves adds. Long-term use or exceeding the recommended dose could cause kidney damage and stomach ulcers.<\/p>\n

Harriott adds that if you have ongoing pain and take OTC pain relievers regularly, ask your doctor if there\u2019s a less potentially harmful solution.\ufeff I\ufeff\ufefff you\u2019re prescribed antibiotics for an infection, finish the course unless your doctor tells you otherwise, Groves emphasizes. Not doing so means the infection won\u2019t be treated effectively and could return. It may also lead to antibiotic resistance<\/a>, which Tantipinichwong says is a \u201chuge issue for us right now.\u201d \ufeff<\/p>\n

Also\ufeff, be cautious about cutting pills, crushing tablets or opening capsules. Some medications are labeled as \u201cextended release\u201d and shouldn\u2019t be cut or crushed, or you risk an overdose, Schuh says. Pills that are scored, however, can often be split in half.<\/p>\n

In general, it\u2019s best to check a product\u2019s instructions, which Schuh says will usually indicate whether the medication is safe to cut or crush. Check with your pharmacist if you\u2019re still not sure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The center, \u201ccore area\u201d of the fridge is ideal, Harriott says, but make sure that the medication is…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":606896,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[263771,263768,97,243,263770,263766,263769,263767,263772],"class_list":{"0":"post-606895","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-dea-national-prescription-take-back-day","9":"tag-drug-expiration-dates","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-medication","12":"tag-medication-dosing-errors","13":"tag-medication-storage-mistakes","14":"tag-medicine-cabinet-safety","15":"tag-safe-drug-disposal","16":"tag-storing-insulin-in-refrigerator"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606895","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=606895"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606895\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/606896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=606895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=606895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=606895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}