How extreme heat affects pills and people taking them – think dehydration and dizziness

Very hot weather can damage medicines, rendering them ineffective, or make their side effects worse. Experts suggest ways to counter that

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Extreme heat can affect medications, making some less effective and amplifying others’ side effects, and causing dehydration. Experts share tips to stay safe. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:15am, 19 Jul 2024

Extreme heat can raise the danger of heat-related illnesses and threaten health in a more subtle way – by amplifying the side effects of many common medications.

Hot weather, too, can damage medicines such as insulin that require refrigeration. Inhalers can explode. Epinephrine injectors such as EpiPens that are used to treat life-threatening, allergic emergencies in people can malfunction. Medicine delivered in the mail can deteriorate.

Here, experts describe some common problems and solutions related to heat and medicine.

Which medicines could cause problems in the heat?

The combined impact of the heat and side effects from drugs can leave you light-headed. Photo: Shutterstock

Blood pressure pills that reduce fluid in the blood can lead to dehydration. Beta blockers for heart conditions can decrease blood flow to the skin and make you less aware of dangerous heat.

Some antidepressants can hinder your ability to stay cool. Aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers decrease fluid and sodium levels, making it harder to deal with high temperatures.

On top of that, the combination of heat and drug side effects can lead to lightheadedness and falls. Alcohol increases the danger, says pharmacist Bradley Phillips of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy.

You can learn more about medications’ side effects and storage requirements at the US National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus website.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the effects of heat on your meds, and whether to drink more water, says pharmacist Bradley Phillips of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. Photo: University of Florida