[Source: Qingdao Jiaozhou Central Hospital] "Pharmacist, I drank a little of the xxx mixture prescribed last time at home. Can I continue to drink it this time?" "Doctor, I have xx capsules at home that have not expired but are a bit sticky. Can it still be used?" "Doctor, can I

[Source: Qingdao Jiaozhou Central Hospital]

"Pharmacist, I drank a little of the xxx mixture prescribed last time at home. Can I continue to drink it this time?"

"Doctor, I have xx capsules at home that have not expired but are a little bit It's sticky, can it still be used?"

"Doctor, can I reuse the eye drops I left last time?"

In actual work in the pharmacy, we often encounter patients asking about the use of spare medicines at home. These Questions also plague many people. Today we will find out together.

1. What is the validity period and use period of drugs?

Drug validity period: refers to the period during which drugs can maintain drug quality under specified storage conditions. It is usually marked on the outer packaging of the drug, and sometimes it is marked on the drug label or inner packaging.

The shelf life of drugs: refers to the period of validity during which the quality of the drug can be maintained after use. The conditions included here are: the drug is within the validity period; under the specified storage conditions; and under the conditions of standardized use after opening.

This situation is mostly for multi-dose packaged medicines, such as bottled medicines, most eye drops, eye ointments, internal and external ointments , mixtures, etc. Most of these medicines cannot be used up in a short time after opening and must be used for a period of time. There will still be some leftover after the time, and most people want to save it and use it again. This requires everyone to understand the effective use period of these medicines. After the medicine is opened for the first time, its stability will change due to the influence of external factors such as air, temperature and humidity. Over time, the quality of the medicine will also decrease or even become invalid. This period is often shorter than the expiration date before use, so the use period of the drug ≠ the expiration date of the drug.

Friendly reminder: After opening the medicine, the opening date must be clearly marked on the package!

2. Definition of the validity period, expiration date and use period of the medicine.

The labeling of drug validity period is generally divided into the following situations:

(1) The validity period is until 2022.06.06, which means that the drug can be used until June 6, 2022.

(2) is valid until 2022.06, which means that the drug can be used until June 30, 2022, which is the last day of June. The expiration date of

(3) is 2022.06, which means that the drug can be used until May 31, 2022, which is the day before June. It should be noted that the validity period of a drug includes two conditions: the drug has not been opened and the packaging is not opened; the drug is stored under its specified conditions. Once medicines are opened, their stability will change, so they should no longer be used according to the expiration date marked on the packaging. Whether they can be used normally depends on the use period of each medicine.

3.Usage period of commonly used dosage forms drugs.

(1) For unopened or single-dose individually packaged drugs, if they are stored according to the storage conditions in the instructions, they can be used until the expiration date marked on the drug.

(2) After opening, bottled tablets, capsules, pills, etc. should be stored under specified storage conditions for no more than 6 months. However, if cracks, mold, discoloration, softening, adhesion, powder leakage, or odor appear, it means it has deteriorated and should no longer be used.

Special reminder: The physical and chemical properties of nitroglycerin are very unstable. They are required to be stored in brown glass bottles and sealed in a dry environment not higher than 20°C. They can be used for up to 3-6 months after opening. If used for a long time Carry it with you. Due to the influence of high body temperature, it should be replaced once a month.

(3) granules , granules, powder , etc. should be used within 1 month after opening. The medicines in this dosage form should have loose, dry particles and make a sound when shaking. If there is moisture, clumping or adhesion into clumps, it means that the medicine has deteriorated and should not be used anymore.

(4) Liquid preparations, such as oral solutions, mixtures, tinctures, extracts and other dosage forms, should be stored in a dry and cool place after opening. On the premise of keeping the bottle mouth and cap clean and uncontaminated, they can be Stored for 1-2 months, syrup can be stored for up to 1 month after opening. The normal properties of such drugs should be clear and transparent. Even if there is a little precipitation, it can be evenly distributed after gently shaking; if there is a large amount of precipitation, floc or turbidity, it means that the drug has deteriorated and cannot be used anymore. (Note: Even if this happens to unopened medicines, it means that the packaging has leaked and cannot be reused).

(5) Ophthalmic preparations and nasal preparations, such as eye drops, ophthalmic gels, eye ointments, nasal drops, and other dosage forms, the period of use after opening is generally not more than 4 weeks, unless otherwise stated. . For example, after pirenoxine eye drops are dissolved, they should be used up within 20 days under cool, airtight, and clean storage conditions; rifampicin eye drops can only be used after the tablets or their particles are completely dissolved in the buffer. , can be used for 1 week at room temperature. If the above preparations become cloudy or discolored, stop using them immediately.

(6) ointment for external use can be used for 2 months after opening under sealed conditions at room temperature. If there are obvious particles, severe melting, water oozing, and the smell of rancid oil, it cannot be used anymore.

(7) Insulin preparations should be kept at room temperature after opening (

Friendly reminder: the cotton ball (paper ball) and desiccant in the medicine bottle should be taken out and discarded after opening to avoid absorbing moisture in the air, deliquescing the medicine and breeding bacteria. Affect the quality of drugs.

4. Drug storage requirements In order to ensure the quality of drugs, drugs need to be stored under certain conditions:

Room temperature: 10-30°C;

Drugs are afraid of light and moisture. , high temperature, most drugs can be stored airtight at room temperature and dry conditions, but there are also drugs with special requirements:

(1) Avoid light: UV rays can accelerate the deterioration of drugs, such as nitroglycerin, vitamins and other drugs that will deteriorate when exposed to light. The color will deepen, the efficacy of the medicine will decrease, and it may even cause toxicity, so it should be stored in black or brown containers to avoid light.

(2) Refrigeration: The stability and effectiveness of some drugs will decrease as the temperature increases, so refrigeration should be chosen. Store in a safe place, such as insulin , vaccines and other biological agents; suppositories that are easily deformed at high temperatures should also be stored refrigerated (note: refrigerated ≠ frozen)

(3) For opened medicines, such as syrups, mixtures, and eyeglasses. Preparations for use, nasal preparations, ear preparations, mouthwashes, and medicines containing volatile ingredients that are prone to mildew and oxidation can be sealed and refrigerated in the refrigerator when the temperature is high in summer (Note: Keep them in the refrigerator. Medicines stored in the refrigerator must be sealed and dry)

Friendly reminder: It is best to clean the medicine box every six months, and medicines for internal and external use must be kept separately to avoid confusion and adverse consequences.

Medicines are a special commodity. In order to ensure the safety of medicines. To ensure the quality of medicines and ensure the safety of patients, please use and store medicines rationally under the guidance of pharmacists.

Love and protect life.

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