Both food and medicine have a shelf life. Drug is to treat a disease, expired still can use? It's a small matter whether the medicine is effective or not after expiration. If harmful substances are produced, what will be the consequences? Let's get to know.
Can I take expired medicine
Expired drugs are not recommended, but some drugs that expire for a short time can still be used.
After the expiration of a drug, it does not immediately deteriorate or have no efficacy. It needs a long process. Therefore, the drug just expired can be eaten, and there will be no discomfort after consumption. However, some drugs containing tetracycline and other components will have toxicity after expiration, which is not recommended.
What will happen if I take the expired medicine
There is no effect and certain efficacy after taking the Chinese patent medicine just expired or the expired medicine with relatively stable active ingredients. However, some expired drugs have the following effects:
Diminished efficacy
The effective ingredients in drugs determine the efficacy. Some drugs containing nitroglycerin, active protein, and low active virus, because of their volatility or biological activity, will reduce the effective ingredients after expiration, which will lead to weakened efficacy, and may extend the cure period after consumption.
Cause allergy
The effective ingredients of drugs are complex. Some drugs may be allergic when they are expired, resulting in redness, itching, edema and other conditions, which is harmful to health.
Drug poisoning
Some drugs will be toxic after expiration, so after consumption, there may be dizziness, limb weakness, nausea and vomiting.
What to do after taking the expired medicine
1. After taking expired drugs, you need to stop immediately, drink more hot water, promote the metabolism of expired drugs, and carefully study the drug ingredients, and judge the drug situation.
2. If only the efficacy is weakened, the next time you take the medicine, you can change it to a medicine without expiration date, and then you can take the medicine normally. If it contains heart drugs such as nitroglycerin, you need to take a normal drug immediately.
3. In case of allergy, you need to go to the hospital for examination immediately, and take some anti allergy drugs and ointment according to the doctor's order.
4. If there are any signs of poisoning, you need to go to the hospital for examination immediately, and take the expired drugs taken by mistake, so as to facilitate the diagnosis of doctors.
How to deal with expired drugs
Expired drugs should not be discarded as household garbage and should be kept separately.
Expired drugs contain some metal ions and toxic components, and most of the domestic garbage is buried in place. If expired drugs are discarded as domestic garbage, the components contained in them will damage the ecological environment. Only a small pill can affect a person's drinking water resources for five years, so it can not be discarded as domestic garbage.
There is no disposal point for expired drugs in China, so it's best to pack them in a specific box, mark them, and put them in a place that is not often touched.
How to prevent the use of expired drugs
1. Develop the habit of checking the date before taking the medicine, not only for the medicine, but also for the food. Check the date before entering, so as to prevent the body from discomfort caused by improper consumption.
2. Form the habit of cleaning medicine boxes regularly. Most families usually prepare a small medicine box at home, which is convenient for daily use. It is better to form the habit of cleaning regularly, so as to prevent the occurrence of expired drugs.
3. Prepare the expired medicine box, put the expired medicine in it, mark the outside of the box, and put it in the place of infrequent contact to avoid eating by mistake.