NEW DELHI: The hot weather, coupled with power cuts, may be affecting diabetics and other patients in ways they are not aware of. Experts say exposure to heat makes insulin ineffective and can break down certain common medicines into compounds that cause stomach ailments and kidney damage.
To counter this, the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) says it has issued an advisory to its member doctors, drug store owners and the common public on proper storage of medicines. Dr K K Kohli, DMA state secretary, said no drug should be exposed to direct sunlight or temperatures higher than 86 degrees Celsius.
"Insulin, certain eye drops and vaccines should be stored in the refrigerator ideally between two to eight degrees Celsius," said Kohli. He added that certain heat-damaged medicines such as insulin or nitroglycerin, can be life-threatening.
Doctors say certain antibiotics, when decaying, can cause stomach or kidney damage. "Medicines for thyroid problems, birth control pills and drugs that contain hormones are particularly susceptible to temperature changes. These are often protein-based, and when protein gets hot it changes its properties," Dr Kohli said.
Dr Anoop Misra from Fortis C-Doc Centre of Internal Medicine said he had come across at least two patients in the past fortnight who complained about insulin being ineffective in controlling their sugar levels. "One of the patients was travelling and he had kept the vial in the car. I suggested him to change the insulin vial and within a few days his sugar levels were under control," he said.
Raj Chawla, owner of pharmacy chain All India Medicos, said prolonged power cuts were a big problem during summers. "Last summer, we had to arrange for six to seven packs of ice every day to store medicines because of erratic power supply. We have not faced any such problem this year," he said.
Doctors say one should not take any medication that has changed colour or consistency, regardless of expiry date.
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