Time to clean out the medicine cabinet

Spring cleaning takes on an entirely new meaning when getting ride of expired or unsafe medicines. Even though people may be quick to toss out expired foods or even clean closets of ill-fitting clothing, few individuals exercise such diligence with their medicine cabinets.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the medicine expiration date is critical when determining if a product is safe to use and will work as intended. Medications past their expiration date may not be as strong as intended, and even their chemical composition may change, making them risky to keep around. Furthermore, keeping too many medications in a home – particularly pain prescriptions – can lead to misuse and abuse, as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States have risen considerably in recent years.

Some old medications, such as childrenÕs cough and cold products, may no longer be recommended for certain ages. Having such medications in the house could prove harmful.

Taking inventory and cleaning out medicine cabinets frees up space and creates a safe home environment.

• Toss away any expired products, whether they are prescription or overthe-counter medicines. The best way to do so is to bring the medication to a pharmacy for disposal rather than throwing it in the garbage or flushing medicines down the toilet.

• Discard any unmarked containers or pill foils that are not in their original packaging.

• Test any medical devices, such as a nebulizer, blood pressure monitor and glucose testing equipment to ensure they are in working order.

• Replenish commonly used items, such as fever reducers or headache medicines. Make sure there is a supply of bandages and first aid equipment on hand at all times.

• Relocate medical supplies to an area that isn’t high in humidity, as steam from showers can speed up the expiration of medication. Storing medicines in the refrigerator won’t help, as that is a high-humidity area, too.

Checking medications and removing expired products from the house can prevent accidents related to medications and ensure that all medicines in the house are as effective as possible.