Some medications do not do well in the heat, experts warn

BOSTON - We're in the middle of a heat wave, so here is some heat-related advice for people who take medications.

First, many medications do not tolerate heat well.  First of all, some medications lose their effectiveness if they get too hot. So always store your medications at room temperature in a dark, dry location. 

Second, taking certain medications can make you more susceptible to heat-related illness. For example, diuretics, or water pills, are designed to help you lose water, but if you're also hot and sweaty, you could get into trouble with dehydration. 

Certain medications taken for allergies or high blood pressure can reduce your ability to sweat, which in hot conditions can cause you to overheat. And other medications, like certain antibiotics, can trigger uncomfortable rashes when you're out in the sun. So, beware of the effects that this oppressive heat and the hot sun can have on your medications as well as on your body.

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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