Taking expired medications can be deadly. Discover the ones you must avoid at all costs!
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As we age, we often find ourselves managing a variety of medications. Keeping track of prescriptions, dosages, and expiration dates can be a challenge, but it's a crucial aspect of maintaining our health.
While it might be tempting to ignore a past expiration date on a medication bottle, doing so can have serious, even life-threatening consequences.
Today, we're diving deep into the world of pharmaceuticals to uncover the risks of taking expired medications and spotlighting the four types of drugs you should never use past their prime.
Dr. Jamie Winn, a seasoned pharmacist and medical director at Universal Drugstore, has raised the alarm on the dangers of expired medications.
“While it can seem harmless, you can put your health at risk if you’re unaware of what can happen while taking medication beyond its expiration date,” he cautions.
Many of us have taken an Advil or Tylenol after the use-by date without a second thought.
Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, as well as antihistamines, are generally considered relatively safe to consume after their expiration dates.
The primary risk with these medications is not toxicity but a loss of potency, meaning they may not be as effective in treating your symptoms.
However, this reduced effectiveness can lead to a dangerous practice–taking more pills than recommended to achieve the desired effect, which can be harmful to your body.
While some expired drugs may simply lose their effectiveness, others can become downright dangerous.
Dr. Winn emphasizes the importance of adhering to expiration dates, especially with the following medications:
1. Antibiotics: These are critical in fighting infections, but once expired, they can cause more harm than good. Tetracyclines, for example, can degrade to the point of causing kidney damage.
Ineffective antibiotics may also fail to fully eradicate bacteria, potentially leading to more severe infections. Liquid antibiotics are particularly prone to contamination after expiration.
2. Heart medications: For those with heart conditions, medications like nitroglycerin are essential.
However, as they lose potency over time, their diminished effectiveness can have dire consequences for heart health.
3. Insulin: A lifeline for individuals with Type 1 diabetes, insulin must be potent to regulate blood sugar effectively.
Expired insulin may not work correctly, risking hyperglycemia and its associated severe complications.
Source: Walgreens / Youtube.
4. EpiPens: These emergency devices are used to counteract anaphylactic shock. If an EpiPen has expired, its medication may have degraded, potentially failing to provide the life-saving effect needed during a severe allergic reaction.
Medication expiration dates are not arbitrary; they are carefully calculated based on the stability of the drug's active ingredients.
Over time, these ingredients can break down, much like food spoils, leading to reduced efficacy or even harmful effects.
The older the medication, the greater the risk of unexpected side effects or dangerous reactions.
Eye drops, for instance, should be discarded 28 days after opening, regardless of the expiration date, due to the risk of contamination.
Similarly, expired creams or ointments can undergo chemical changes and harbor bacterial growth, posing a risk of infection if applied to broken skin.
Dr. Winn points out that there's a significant difference between a medication that expired a month ago and one that expired a year ago.
The further you go beyond the expiration date, the more the drug's components break down, rendering it less effective or even unsafe.
Source: US Food and Drug Administration / Youtube.
Storage conditions also play a role in a medication's shelf life. Drugs kept in humid environments, like bathrooms, may deteriorate faster due to moisture in the air.
When it comes time to dispose of expired prescriptions, it's essential to do so responsibly.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash can have environmental repercussions and pose a risk to others. Instead, visit your local pharmacy, where they can ensure safe and proper disposal.
Have you ever taken expired medication? Do you have tips for managing and remembering to check expiration dates? Share your experiences and advice in the comments below!
While it might be tempting to ignore a past expiration date on a medication bottle, doing so can have serious, even life-threatening consequences.
Today, we're diving deep into the world of pharmaceuticals to uncover the risks of taking expired medications and spotlighting the four types of drugs you should never use past their prime.
Dr. Jamie Winn, a seasoned pharmacist and medical director at Universal Drugstore, has raised the alarm on the dangers of expired medications.
“While it can seem harmless, you can put your health at risk if you’re unaware of what can happen while taking medication beyond its expiration date,” he cautions.
Many of us have taken an Advil or Tylenol after the use-by date without a second thought.
Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, as well as antihistamines, are generally considered relatively safe to consume after their expiration dates.
Dr. Jamie Winn warns that taking certain expired medications can seriously endanger your health due to reduced effectiveness or toxicity. Image source: US Food and Drug Administration / Youtube.
The primary risk with these medications is not toxicity but a loss of potency, meaning they may not be as effective in treating your symptoms.
However, this reduced effectiveness can lead to a dangerous practice–taking more pills than recommended to achieve the desired effect, which can be harmful to your body.
While some expired drugs may simply lose their effectiveness, others can become downright dangerous.
Dr. Winn emphasizes the importance of adhering to expiration dates, especially with the following medications:
1. Antibiotics: These are critical in fighting infections, but once expired, they can cause more harm than good. Tetracyclines, for example, can degrade to the point of causing kidney damage.
Ineffective antibiotics may also fail to fully eradicate bacteria, potentially leading to more severe infections. Liquid antibiotics are particularly prone to contamination after expiration.
2. Heart medications: For those with heart conditions, medications like nitroglycerin are essential.
However, as they lose potency over time, their diminished effectiveness can have dire consequences for heart health.
3. Insulin: A lifeline for individuals with Type 1 diabetes, insulin must be potent to regulate blood sugar effectively.
Expired insulin may not work correctly, risking hyperglycemia and its associated severe complications.
Source: Walgreens / Youtube.
4. EpiPens: These emergency devices are used to counteract anaphylactic shock. If an EpiPen has expired, its medication may have degraded, potentially failing to provide the life-saving effect needed during a severe allergic reaction.
Medication expiration dates are not arbitrary; they are carefully calculated based on the stability of the drug's active ingredients.
Over time, these ingredients can break down, much like food spoils, leading to reduced efficacy or even harmful effects.
The older the medication, the greater the risk of unexpected side effects or dangerous reactions.
Eye drops, for instance, should be discarded 28 days after opening, regardless of the expiration date, due to the risk of contamination.
Similarly, expired creams or ointments can undergo chemical changes and harbor bacterial growth, posing a risk of infection if applied to broken skin.
Dr. Winn points out that there's a significant difference between a medication that expired a month ago and one that expired a year ago.
The further you go beyond the expiration date, the more the drug's components break down, rendering it less effective or even unsafe.
Source: US Food and Drug Administration / Youtube.
Storage conditions also play a role in a medication's shelf life. Drugs kept in humid environments, like bathrooms, may deteriorate faster due to moisture in the air.
When it comes time to dispose of expired prescriptions, it's essential to do so responsibly.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash can have environmental repercussions and pose a risk to others. Instead, visit your local pharmacy, where they can ensure safe and proper disposal.
Have you ever taken expired medication? Do you have tips for managing and remembering to check expiration dates? Share your experiences and advice in the comments below!
