Home Drug Storage in Qazvin Province, Iran

Self-medication, consumption of expired drugs, and storage of medications in unsuitable conditions cause both loss of scarce resources and health hazards. To determine the amount of home drug storage and the reasons for such attitude, this study was performed. This was a descriptive study conducted on 85 families in Minodar region of Qazvin Province, Iran, in 2006. Drugs were clustered based on OTCs, clinical application, expiration date, and storage conditions. Drug storage with no usage was seen in 82.4% of the families. The frequency for distribution of the prescribed drugs was tablets 73.1%, capsules 98%, ointments 75.5%, drops 83.1%, syrups 54%, suppositories 25%, and ampules 100%. The majority of expired drugs were gastrointestinal drugs. Storage conditions were found to be different from one family to another, irrespective of the manufacturer’s instruction. Increasing the public general knowledge on drug application and its storage conditions is necessary to prevent therapeutic failure and to decrease drug adverse effects.