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Associated Press

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?

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.

You can also talk to your doctor or pharmacist, Phillips says. Ask about how much water you should be drinking if you’re on medications that increase dehydration.
He recommends staying hydrated and “not relying on your body’s ability to tell you that you’re thirsty”.
Some medicines – antibiotics, antifungals and acne drugs – can heighten sensitivity to the sun, causing rashes and sunburns.
If you’re taking them, stay under an umbrella or wear sun-protective fabrics and sunscreen, says Dr Mike Ren, a family doctor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, in the US.
“You might be on antibiotics, not think too much of it, go down to the beach and then come back with a whopping sunburn,” Ren says.

How should medications be stored for travel?
Medication generally should be kept in a cool, dry place, unless it needs refrigeration. That can be challenging while travelling.
Before a summer road trip, check labels for the storage requirements of your medicines. Carry medicine in a cooler when travelling by car, even if it doesn’t require refrigeration. The car’s boot or glove box could get too hot for even room temperature storage.
Travelling by plane? It’s always best to keep medications in your carry-on bag in case your checked luggage is delayed or lost, and it can get too cold in the cargo hold.

What about prescriptions delivered by mail or courier?
A delivery can come at a bad time, says Ren, who recently helped his holidaying mother by bringing her delivery of supplements into her Houston home as the region faced soaring heat.
“If you know you’re going to be at work all day, or if you’re on vacation, and you get medications delivered, you definitely don’t want that sitting outside in the hot … sun,” Ren said.
Is more research needed?
Yes. Researchers in the US and Australia say some of the common warnings about heat and drugs don’t have a lot of scientific evidence behind them.
Ollie Jay at the University of Sydney found backing for only four of the 11 medication categories that the World Health Organization lists as concerns with high heat.
He suggests changing behaviour, not medications, like staying out of the heat. “Be a bit more cautious,” he says.
Dr Renee Salas, an accident and emergency doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in the US, says as climate change accelerates, there’s a need to know which medicines are the riskiest in the heat.
“We don’t have that answer yet, and it’s one that we need to rapidly figure out,” Salas says.
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


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Wellness

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

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  


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

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

Some medicines – especially antifungals and acne treatment – may leave your skin more sensitive to the sun, and cause bad sunburns. Cover up with hats and sunscreen – or avoid the sun altogether. Photo: Shutterstock 

Don’t leave mail-order medicines outside in the sun if you can avoid it, says Dr Mike Ren, a family doctor at Baylor College of Medicine. Photo: Baylor College of Medicine

Summer 2024 trends: 3 cooling vests and jackets tested in scorching hot Hong Kong

Cooling jackets and vests are the latest summer trend, but how effective are they? Photo: Antony Dickson

South China Morning Post interns (from left) Annie Cheung, Joanne Yau and Lindsay Feng wear cooling vests and jackets in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on July 5, 2024. The latest summer trend, these jackets use fans, ice packs or a combination of both to keep their wearers cool. Photo: Antony Dickson

This pink polyester jacket comes with two fans that circulate cool air inside the jacket. Photo: Antony Dickson

This beige worker vest comes with four gel packs that can be frozen and placed inside the jacket. Photo: Antony Dickson

This navy cooling vest comes with up to five ice packs, while a fan helps circulate the cool air inside. Photo: Antony Dickson

This vest’s fan is operated via a power button on the left side of the chest, while the material on the outside becomes damp after prolonged use. Photo: Antony Dickson

How to prevent heatstroke in dogs, symptoms, and treatment to seek: expert summer tips

Snub-nosed dog breeds are most vulnerable to heat stroke. Photo: Shutterstock 

Snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dog breeds such as bulldogs, pugs, boxers and Pekinese are most vulnerable to heat stroke, as are older and obese dogs. Photo: Shutterstock

A Siberian husky sits with its tongue hanging out to try to cool down on a hot day. Photo: Shutterstock

Bring plenty of water for you and your dog on a walk on a hot day – and avoid walking on cement or pavement that can burn paw pads. Photo: Shutterstock

If a dog shows any signs of heatstroke – heavy panting, bright pink gums and tongue, unwillingness to walk further – get it out of the sun and into the shade as soon as possible. Photo: Shutterstock

Choose shaded paths to walk your dog when it is hot outside. Early morning and late afternoon are safer times than midday. Photo: Shutterstock

Sunscreen 101s, from SPF to how much to apply and how often, to how long you can keep it

Experts recommend applying sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure, and reapplying at least every two hours and especially after swimming and drying off. 
Photo: Shutterstock

If you use a sunscreen with SPF 10 and have a natural protection time of 10 minutes, your total protection lasts 100 minutes. After that, reapplying SPF 10 or even SPF 50 sunscreen won’t help. Photo: Shutterstock

Christoph Liebich dispels some myths surrounding tanning. Photo: Christoph Liebich

Tanning beds provide a “base tan” that offers no real protection. The light in them is primarily composed of UVA rays, which create a quick but temporary tan, while protective UVB radiation is often filtered out. Photo: Shutterstock

Beta-carotene, which is abundant in fruit and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and oranges, contributes to skin protection by acting as a secondary plant pigment. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

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


Excess heat can affect different medications in different ways, from making them less effective to amplifying their side effects and causing dehydration. Experts share tips to avoid these problems.


Medicine

Climate change

Sydney