How extreme heat can negatively impact people using certain medications

BOSTON - One area that's often overlooked when we talk about extreme heat is its impact on medications, and many drugs don't do well in warm temperatures.

The Associated Press recently outlined some of the potential dangers. 

Medications that require refrigeration, such as insulin, start to degrade as temperatures rise. Inhalers used for asthma and bronchitis can explode in high heat. Epi-pens used for severe allergic reactions can be rendered useless. Medications delivered by mail can also be impacted.  

Also, taking certain medications in hot temperatures can be dangerous. For example, certain blood pressure medications, such as diuretics, can lead to dehydration. Some antidepressants, over-the-counter pain relievers, and antihistamines can interfere with your body's ability to stay cool.  Some drugs like antibiotics and acne treatments can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun, causing rashes and sunburns. 

So check the storage requirements for your pills and potions, and if you're taking medication, try to avoid overheating and excessive sun exposure.

In:
• Health
• Heat

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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