Record-breaking temperatures this summer threaten the health of many Americans, especially people who are older or living with chronic diseases. But did you know that summer weather can also damage your medications? Certain medications can lose their potency or become unusable if exposed to hot and humid conditions. Inhalers and other aerosolized drugs can get damaged and not work properly. High temperatures can cause liquid or injectable medicines (such as EpiPen or nitroglycerin) to dry up or evaporate, rendering them ineffective. For medications coming in pill form, such as birth control or thyroid medicines, the heat can cause key molecules in the drug to break down.
There a number of steps you can take to protect your medications.
- Store your medications at room temperature and away from direct sunlight. Nightstands or cupboards are often safe options.
- Avoid keeping medications next to heat generating appliances such as ovens.
- Contrary to popular belief, the bathroom medicine cabinet should, in fact, NOT be used to store medicine because of the big temperature/humidity swings that often occur in bathrooms.
- Identify spots in your home where the temperature stays between 59-85 degrees. Lower levels tend to be cooler than upper levels.
- Don’t leave medications in a car without climate control.
- Read the storage instructions when starting a new medication. You can always ask a pharmacist for guidance on storing your medication.
