People taking medication must exercise extreme caution in hot weather. High temperature can change the chemical composition of the drug and thus its effect. – Drugs taken in heat can be as dangerous as legal highs. The effects of their actions are difficult to predict – pharmacist Mariusz Politowicz warns in an interview with RMF FM.
Fot. Shutterstock/ Arman Zhenikeev
According to Politowicz, the biggest problem is the drugs sold in street kiosks – there are usually no conditions to store them in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations (usually at a temperature not higher than 25 degrees Celsius). – It is difficult to predict the body’s reaction after taking a drug that has spent the entire hot weekend in a heated, closed kiosk. Such conditions are not taken into account even during clinical trials – emphasizes the pharmacist Agnieszka Tucka.
Bearing in mind the warnings of experts, remember to store the drugs in accordance with the instructions on the leaflet. Let’s not keep them in sunny places, but in dark and cool places. Under no circumstances should we leave drugs in a hot car. Some medications, such as suppositories, can be placed in the refrigerator in hot weather.
Unfortunately, in hot weather, even properly stored drugs can pose a health risk – for example, they increase the risk of dehydration, disrupt the thermoregulation mechanism, contribute to the occurrence of severe sunburn and exfoliative dermatitis. As the national consultant in the field of clinical pharmacology, Prof. Bogusław Okopień, the most vulnerable group are people with hypertension and heart failure, for whom doctors prescribe diuretics (they relieve the heart and reduce swelling, but if drinking too little fluids, they may result in life-threatening dehydration). Beta-blockers, also used in hypertension, disrupt the thermoregulation mechanism.
Drugs used in urinary and respiratory tract infections (if the patient stays in the sun after taking them for a longer period of time, they are at risk of photodermatitis), antidepressants and antipsychotics not only reduce concentration, but also interfere with the process of sweating, as well as drugs antihistamines (for asthma and allergies) and sedatives.
Experts remind patients to follow their doctor’s instructions carefully when taking medication. And in the event of any unusual symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate and breathing, they immediately consulted a doctor.
Sources: rmf24.pl; diseases.senior.pl; PAP