How to store insulin in summer

For diabetic patients, insulin injections are required for a long time, so a certain amount of insulin will be stored at home. Attention must be paid to the storage of insulin. Pay attention to good storage to avoid expiration, especially in summer when the weather is hot. You must be more careful when storing insulin. In summer, unopened insulin can be refrigerated in the refrigerator. It is better to store it at 2 to 8 degrees.

How to store insulin in summer

Unopened insulin, regardless of the type, should be stored between 2 and 8°C, that is, in the refrigerator's cold storage compartment. At this temperature, it will maintain its biological effectiveness and be sterile throughout its shelf life. Some people want to preserve it for a longer time, so they freeze it in the freezer, hoping that it can be thawed when needed in the future like other proteins such as chicken, duck, fish and meat. This practice is wrong.

After insulin is frozen, the originally transparent liquid will produce crystals or particles and cannot be thawed, and the originally turbid liquid will form larger particles or lumps. These particles that remain after thawing will affect the absorption of insulin and the accuracy of dosage, so they cannot be used even if thawed. For the same reason, you cannot check insulin in your luggage when flying. Because even in summer, the temperature in the luggage compartment at high altitude is dozens of degrees below zero, which will freeze the insulin. Therefore, you should put insulin in your hand bag when boarding the plane. Although insulin is a liquid, the Civil Aviation Administration allows insulin to be carried on board.

Generally speaking, insulin is not taken out of the refrigerator and used immediately. It needs to be injected at room temperature. Even if it is taken out of the refrigerator, it must be left at room temperature for about 2 to 4 hours. Currently, the dosage of an insulin pen is 300 units, and the dosage of the injection is 400 units. They can be stored at room temperature for about one month.

Insulin loses its effectiveness after two hours of exposure to the sun

Since insulin works at body temperature, it does not spoil in the short term at room temperature. It can be stored for about 6 weeks at normal air-conditioned room temperature (about 25°C). Therefore, the insulin pen cartridges currently in use are generally used for three or four weeks, so they are safe. Sometimes insulin pens are placed in your pocket when you go out, close to body temperature, and the shelf life is set at about 4 weeks.

In summary, as long as it is not at very high temperatures (such as on the beach) or directly under sunlight, insulin will not deteriorate in the short term. When traveling, it is better to put it in a thermos cup or thermos bag. It is better if the car has air conditioning to protect it from the high temperature.

Insulin should also avoid violent fluctuations, as violent fluctuations will also reduce the biological activity of insulin. If you carry insulin with you when you go out, be careful not to place the insulin in places where it is exposed to direct sunlight, such as car windows, because insulin will become ineffective after two hours of exposure to sunlight. In addition, the temperature in the luggage compartment of long-distance transportation vehicles such as airplanes is very low, which can freeze the insulin. People who travel frequently should pay attention.