How to make sure your patients are storing their medications correctly during a heat wave

Certain parts of Canada have seen record-breaking temperatures this summer and patients may be asking pharmacists for advice on how to keep their medications at the right temperature. If medications have been exposed to overly high temperatures for a long period of time, patients are being told to err on the side of caution and “have a talk with the pharmacist or switch it with something that you know has been at the right temperature,” said British Columbia Pharmacy Association vice-president Jamie Wigston, who is himself a pharmacist at the West End Medicine Centre in New Westminster. Despite product monographs outlining ideal storage temperatures, “there’s not a whole lot of information around what happens to the medication when it is sustained over 30 degrees,” Wigston said. For some pharmaceuticals, it could alter the medication so it is dangerous to patient, for others, it could decrease the medication’s activity. “There aren’t many studies out there looking at each individual medication and how it is affected by heat,” Wigston said. Although the exact consequences of heat exposure may not be fully understood, it is still critical to ensure medicines stay safe and effective. Here are five tips to counselling patients on keeping their medications safe during a heat wave. 1. Watch for warning signs of excess heat exposure Tell patients to look for signs the medication has been damaged by heat. For example, an EpiPen, which should ideally be stored at 25oC, has a small window in it. If the fluid is discoloured, cloudy or has particles floating in it, it should be replaced. This is true for other injectables that can be stored safely at room temperature for a period of time, such as insulin. Watch for other signs of prolonged heat exposure, such as gel caps sticking together or pills crumbling. 2. Provide a reminder when patients come in for refills Most pharmacists will only alert patients about the danger of poorly stored medications when patients call or come into the pharmacy for a refill. Of course, it's not feasible to call every patient to warn them, Wigston said, but pharmacists can make a special effort to emphasize proper storage during a heat wave. “When people come in to pick up their medications you can really stress or reiterate to keep your medications in a nice cool or medium temperature area,” he said. Another way to reach out to patients could be to use advertising on pharmacy websites, T.V. or radio to warn about the need to keep medications at the right temperature. 3. Tell patients where in the house the medications will be safest Provide specific information about where people should store the medication. “In general, you tell people for one, don’t keep it in the bathroom, just because you don’t want to have it anywhere where there are wide changes in temperature,” Wigston said. During a heat wave, inform patients to keep it somewhere in the house where temperatures are cooler or stable, such as a basement or a cupboard. “You just want to make sure that your medication is not going to be in the plus-30oC temperatures for a long period of time,” he said. 4. Help patients get it home safely Medications left in the car during a heat wave are susceptible to damage. Wigston said that his pharmacy keeps extra ice packs in the freezer and they provide them to patients if they're not going home directly and the medication will be sitting in a hot car. 5. Be sensitive to insurance issues Pharmacists may need to help patients get insurance coverage for replacement medications, especially if a refill is requested earlier than usual. Patients or pharmacists may need to call the insurance company directly.

How to make sure your patients are storing their medications correctly during a heat wave

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics