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American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, Vol. 64, Issue 16, 1711-1715
Copyright © 2007 by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
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Practice Reports

Room-temperature storage of medications labeled for refrigeration

 Victor Cohen, Samantha P. Jellinek, Leftherios Teperikidis, Elliot Berkovits and William M. Goldman

VICTOR COHEN, PHARMD.,. BCPS, is Clinical Pharmacy Manager, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maimonides Medical Center (MMC), Brooklyn, NY, and Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Long Island University (LIU), Brooklyn. SAMANTHA P. JELLINEK, PHARMD., BCPS, is Clinical Pharmacy Manager, Medication Reconciliation and Safety, and Clinical Coordinator, Pharmacy Practice Residency Program; LEFTHERIOS TEPERIKIDIS, PHARMD., is Pharmacy Resident; and ELLIOT BERKOVITS, PHARM.D., is Pharmacy Resident, MMC. WILLIAM GOLDMAN, PHARM.D., is Associate Director, Pharmacy for Clinical and Educational Services, MMC, and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, LIU.

Address correspondence to Dr. Cohen at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maimonides Medical Center, 4802 Tenth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219 (vcohen{at}maimonidesmed.org).


Purpose. Data regarding the recommended maximum duration that refrigerated medications available in hospital pharmacies may be stored safely at room temperature were collected and compiled in a tabular format.

Methods. During May and June of 2006, the prescribing information for medications labeled for refrigeration as obtained from the supplier were reviewed for data addressing room-temperature storage. Telephone surveys of the products’ manufacturers were conducted when this information was not available in the prescribing information. Medications were included in the review if they were labeled to be stored at 2–8 °C and purchased by the pharmacy department for uses indicated on the hospital formulary. Frozen antibiotics thawed in the refrigerator and extemporaneously compounded medications were excluded. Information was compiled and arranged in tabular format. The U.S. Pharmacopeia’s definition of room temperature (20–25 °C [68–77 °F]) was used for this review.

Results. Of the 189 medications listed in AHFS Drug Information 2006 for storage in a refrigerator, 89 were present in the pharmacy department’s refrigerator. Since six manufacturers were unable to provide information for 10 medications, only 79 medications were included in the review. This table may help to avoid unnecessary drug loss and expenditures due to improper storage temperatures.

Conclusion. Information regarding the room-temperature storage of 79 medications labeled for refrigerated storage was compiled.

Index terms: Errors, medication; Labeling; Pharmacy, institutional, hospital; Stability; Storage; Temperature

 





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