Five common medications that make it hard to cope in the heat

As the temperatures increase, the risk of heat -dependent disease increases, especially for the definitive people. prescription drugs.

It uses various mechanisms to regulate body temperature: sweating, blood flow to the skin and fluid balance. However, some commonly prescribed drugs make it difficult to stay cool by interfering with these processes.

Here are a few people you need to know about this summer:

1. antidepressants

Two special types antidepressants – Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricycles (TCAs) – can make it difficult for the summer to cope. They can even cause heat intolerance because they affect the body’s sweating ability.

It is believed that both of these antidepressants are partially affected by serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain. However, they may also affect other neurotransmitters.

For example, TCAs may block acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for sweating. This may cause some patients to sweat less. On a hot day, this can make it difficult to cool.

However, TCAs also increase the levels of noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter that stimulates sweat glands. This can increase sweating. In fact, both SSRIs and TCAs can increase sweating in users. Data experienced this side effect up to 14% of antidepressant users.

SSRIs can also intervene in the hypothalamus, a brain region, which controls body temperature and says to begin to produce sweat in sweat glands. However, this signal may be affected by increased serotonin levels.

Since sweating is an important cooling mechanism, it can cause any interrupted disease in this process. Excessive sweating can cause dehydration if fluids are not changed.

2.

Antipsychotics are used to treat the psychosis that may occur. schizophrenia And bipolar disorder. They do this by blocking neurotransmitter dopamine – this affects the levels of neurotransmitter serotonin. This may disrupt the ability of hypothalamus to detect and respond to body temperature changes.

As a result, an antipsychotic may not feel overheated or thirsty when hot. This may cause low blood pressure and decrease in heart function. The body then tries to compensate by narrowing the blood vessels and keeping it at temperature. This reduces sweating and makes it difficult to cool properly.

In addition, antipsychotics have anticholinergic properties. This means that they make it difficult to sweat by preventing the effect of acetylcholine.

3. Heart Drugs

Beta-Blockers are used to manage heart failure and arrhythmias. They do this by reducing the heart rate and reducing how strong the heart pumps. However, this can limit the blood flow to the skin, so it makes it difficult for the body to release heat on hot days.

Diuretics are also widely used in the treatment hypertension Or heart failure. However, as these drugs increase urine output, it can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances in these hot weather. With less liquid, the body can fight to sweat properly. If you are seriously dehydrated, you can actually stop thirsty. Blood pressure may also fall, which may cause dizziness or fainting – especially when standing up.

Ramipril and losartan used to manage blood pressure may also increase the risk of dehydration. These drugs prevent a system that helps to control blood pressure, fluid balance and thirst in the body. This can reduce your natural drinking impulse, increasing the risk of dehydration when hot.

4. Stimulants

Stimulants – like amphetamines used for ADHD – It affects many brain chemicals, including dopamine and noradrenaline. This can increase the body temperature, increase metabolism and change the sweating of the body – all of which can make it difficult to cool down, especially when exercising or in hot weather. This can also potentially lead to dehydration, overheating, or even heat impact. Stimulants can also reduce the feeling of fatigue, which can cause people to excessively consume themselves without realizing the danger.

However, some recent research shows that those who are ADHD can actually have the chance of heat-related disease-but there is a need for greater trials to investigate more. Researchers assume that this protective effect can be caused by factors such as lower body weight and moisturized users.

5. Insulin

Hot temperatures cause the body to expand the blood vessels to help us cool. However, this action means that blood sugar is absorbed faster than faster blood circulation, as there is more blood flow to the area where insulin is injected. This can lead to dizziness, tremor, sweating, nervousness and even potentially hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level), which can lead to potentially loss of consciousness or seizure.

Faster insulin absorption can make it difficult for people with diabetes to notice low blood sugar symptoms in the heat, because common symptoms can be mixed with hot.

Heat can also disrupt insulin, reduce the effectiveness and make it insecure. For this reason, insulin should be stored in the refrigerator, especially until it is used in summer. Damaged insulin changes the appearance – cloudy or changes color.

Avoiding the Heat collision

Elderly adults, people with chronic conditions (especially those with hearts or lung diseaseand multiple prescription drugs are vulnerable to heat -related diseases.

Fortunately, if you are taking one of these common prescription drugs, there are steps you can take to stay safe in the summer.

First, check the labels for storage instructions. Avoid leaving medicines in cars or hot places such as windows. Insulin is not the only medication affected by heat – inhaler and epipers may also be malfunctioning or less effective.

Secondly, unless your doctor recommends otherwise, stay juicy when it is hot. Dehydration can actually make the effects of many drugs worse. For example, anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as Ibuprofen) are more likely to cause renal problems and if you become dehydrated, bipolar drugs (including lithium) are more likely to become toxic.

Avoid peak heat clocks and stay in cool environments when possible. Monitor the warning signs of heat -related diseases such as dizziness, confusion, nausea or excessive sweating.

Finally, do not stop buying your prescription medications without medical advice. If it affects your ability to cope with heat, talk to your doctor or your pharmacist.

Dipa Kamdar is a senior lecturer in pharmacy practice at the University of Kingston.

This article was re -published without speech under the Creative Commons license. Read original article.