Diabetes and blood pressure medications are both on the list of medications that can affect your ability to cope with the heat
The NHS urges those taking medications to read the patient information leaflet(Image: Getty Images)
Though most of us welcome the hot weather, the higher temperatures can also be dangerous. With the heat comes risks of dehydration and over heating. There are certain factors that can also make this more likely, one of which is medication.
While this isn’t the case for all medications, there are certain medicines to be aware of when it comes to increased risk of heat related illnesses. According the NHS blood pressure medication, diuretics, antipsychotic medications and some diabetes medications can make it more difficult for your body to cope with the heat.
In some cases this is due to losing more water through sweating or urination.
Dehydration can cause dizziness, headaches, tiredness, confusion, and dark urine. This is particularly dangerous for older adults, young children, and people with heart or kidney conditions
In other cases medication can make skin more prone to sunburn.
Diuretics and blood pressure medication
People taking diuretics, or ‘water tablets’, such as furosemide, are already losing more fluid through urination. This can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances.
Blood pressure medicines such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, or calcium channel blockers can also make it harder for your body to regulate temperature, especially during sudden hot spells. ACE inhibitors can even suppress your natural thirst response.
Advice from the NHS says to drink more water and stay cool.
Diabetes and antipsychotic medication
Some diabetes medicines, including insulin and metformin, also increase the risk of dehydration or make early symptoms harder to spot.
Antipsychotic medications, such as olanzapine or quetiapine, or stimulant medications for attention disorders can increase your body temperature, making you overheat more easily.
Increased risk of sunburn
Antibiotics, diuretics, antidepressants, or skin treatments for acne or eczema can all make skin more prone to sunburn even in mild sunshine. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen are also known to sometimes cause mild sun sensitivity, but this is less common and usually only a concern with frequent or long-term use.
One medicine that requires particular care is methotrexate, used to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and cancer. It can cause extreme skin sensitivity to the sun even at low doses. This can lead to painful rashes, blistering, or swelling that looks like severe sunburn. In rare cases, these reactions have led to serious infections.
Even a short walk at lunchtime or a train ride in the sun can be enough to trigger a reaction for some people.
The NHS advises those taking medication to always read the patient information leaflet or check with your pharmacist to see if sun sensitivity is a side effect.