Walgreens Offers Medication Advice Ahead of Potential Hurricane Gustav

As Tropical Storm Gustav moves toward the Gulf of Mexico and threatens to develop into a hurricane, Walgreens is offering Gulf Coast residents tips on refilling their prescription medications should they need to evacuate.

To help pharmacy patients prepare for any potential evacuations, Walgreens suggests the following:
1. If you evacuate, get to a safe location first and refill your medication at a pharmacy there. This allows you to avoid potentially long lines at your local pharmacy, and you won't needlessly delay your evacuation. Walgreens has more than 6,300 locations nationwide, and all pharmacies can access your patient record, making any Walgreens your neighborhood Walgreens. Patients can find the nearest store by calling 1-800-WALGREENS or going to Walgreens.com.

2. Take a waterproof bag with your current medication - even if the bottle is empty. The information on the bottle label will help the pharmacist refill your medicine once you arrive at your destination. Heat, humidity and sunlight can degrade the effectiveness of medicine, so try to protect it from extreme weather conditions.

3. Keep a written record of your current prescriptions in your valuable papers file. If you're taking several prescription drugs, it's an especially good idea to keep a record of your current dosage and doctor's contact information. Walgreens patients can register online at Walgreens.com and print out this information directly from their patient profile.