This circumstance can occur if the dose of a drug is excessive (overdose reaction).

If the person is unusually sensitive to the drug or if another drug slows down the metabolism of the first drug, thereby increasing its concentration in the blood. Dose-related reactions are not usually serious, but are relatively common. We invite you to consult your treating doctor, he is the person authorized to provide you with a better guide.

When medicines in suspension form remain at rest for a long time, the solid particles that make it up tend to descend and agglomerate at the bottom, while the liquid part remains on top, so it is necessary to shake the container so that all the particles mix with the liquid and thus homogenize or distribute the components of the medicine.

Let us remember that a suspension is a heterogeneous mixture, made up of a powdery solid that is not completely dissolved in a liquid.

Self-medication is a serious health risk, because the use of medicines without a prescription can interfere with the timely diagnosis and treatment of diseases, increasing the risk of adverse reactions, intoxications and drug interactions.

Inadequate doses or incorrect administration times can also be ingested, mask or alter another disease, making it difficult to diagnose or facilitating a misdiagnosis, as well as generating dangerous interactions with other medications you are taking.

According to the Information and Documentation Center for Medicines (CENADIM), storing capsules without their original wrapper, inside pillboxes, can cause them to lose their therapeutic benefits due to changes in temperature, humidity and contamination to which they could be subjected.

If these drug containers are not used correctly, whether they are made of plastic, tile or metal, medicines stored improperly can lose effectiveness and after being administered, generate a toxic reaction as a result of humidity, inadequate temperature and contamination.

Ideally, the capsules or any medication should remain in their original packaging.

Medications contain chemical substances that are stable and unstable depending on their composition and the environment in which they are found. Factors such as humidity, temperature and sunlight can act on these substances and modify their chemical structures.

Laboratories certify that a drug will work within a certain period of time with an important caveat: that it be kept in proper conditions.

If the medicine is in environments with more humidity or heat than expected, for example: the bathroom or kitchen, if the blister has been tampered with, the box has been opened or if it has been exposed to light, it cannot be assured that the expiration date guarantees the effectiveness, since the conditions have been altered.

Remember: it is important to carefully read the conditions under which the medicines must be stored on the packaging or bottle, this will help you keep them safely without putting your health at risk.

A question that many of us have asked ourselves is how should I take the medications in relation to meals (before, after, avoiding a specific food, among others).

It is true that there are some foods that can alter the action of certain drugs, making their effect not the desired one. When this occurs, we say that there is a “food-drug interaction”.

How should I take the medicine in relation to food? It is very important to take into account that interactions can occur with food intake, fasting or separately, the ideal is that you consult a specialist to provide you with the necessary advice and avoid adverse effects between an ingested treatment and food.

Not all drugs are the same, those that are prolonged release, for example, cannot be crushed or chopped, because crushing the tablet can modify its absorption. We invite you to consult your treating doctor, he is the person authorized to provide you with a better guide.