People On Certain Medications Should Take Extra Care In The Heat

The oppressive heat is enough to make even the healthiest of individuals feel woozy.

For those on medication however, it’s important to be extra careful on days when the mercury hits 30 degrees or higher.

Certain drugs interact with the heat and can cause significant side effects including heat stroke. Others make it difficult for your body to control its temperature.

 

Those risks are even higher if the person taking the medication is exercising vigorously or doing strenuous work like heavy lifting. Proper hydration is also crucial to staying healthy, especially if a person is taking two or more of the medications mentioned below.

 

Karen Liberman takes two psychiatric medications to treat her severe depression.  

 

“These drugs have a lot of different effects on the body anyways, even when it’s not hot,” she explains.   “So in hot weather, we have to be very careful.”

 

Dr. Howard Shapiro of Toronto Public Health explained the variety of possible ill effects.

 

“It may be that you can’t sweat” he says.   “You may not be able to get the blood to your skin so you can cool off. Other ones will dehydrate you.”

If you’re not sure wh ether the medicine you’re taking could be conspiring with the sun to make you ill, talk to your doctor. Also, keep in mind that some drugs have different brand names.

If you are taking any of the medications listed below, you are at higher risk for heat-related illness:

Psychiatric drugs such as:

• chlorpromazine (Thorazine, Largactil)*
• thioridazine (Mellaril)*
• perphenazine (Trilafon)*
• fluphenazine (Modecate, Moditen)*
• thiothixene (Navane)*
• trifluoperazine (Stelazine)
• prochloperazine (Stemetil)
• haloperidol (Haldol)
• clozapine (Clozaril)
• risperidone (Risperdal)
• loxapine (Loxapac, Loxitane)
• fluspirilene (IMAP)
• pimozide (Orap)
• olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• flupenthixol (Fluanxol)
• zuclopenthixol (Clopixol)
• reserpine (Serpasil, Serpalan)
• Lithium (heavy exercise or heavy sweating in hot weather may change
• lithium levels, so that you may have too much in your system)

(This list is based in part on information from the Office of the Chief

Coroner. Please note it is not complete.)

*These medicines may make it easier for your skin to burn. Many other

medicines may also cause your skin to burn more easily.

 

Antiparkinson drugs such as:

• benztropine (Cogentin)
• biperiden (Akineton)
• ethopropazine (Parsitan, Parisdol)
• procyclidine (Kemadrin, Procyclid)
• trihexyphenidyl (Artane, Trihexane)
• levodopa (Dopar)
• selegiline (Eldepryl)
• amantadine (Symmetrel, Symadine)

 

Antidepressant drugs such as:

• amitriptyline
• doxepine (Sinequan)
• clomipramine (Anafranil)
• protriptyline (Vivactil)
• imipramine (Tofranil)
• desipramine (Norpramin)
• nortriptyline (Pamelor)
• fluoxetine (Prozac)
• fluvoxamine (Luvox)
• sertraline (Zoloft)
• paroxetine (Paxil)
• fluoxetine (Sarafem)

If you also take the medicines below, you further increase your risk for heat-illness:

• some antihistamines (e.g. Benadryl, Chlortripolon)
• over-the-counter sleeping pills (e.g. Nytol)
• anti-diarrhea pills (e.g. Lomotil)

Courtesy Toronto Public Health

If you are taking any medications regularly, ask your doctor if you need to be extra careful during hot weather. Also, if you feel ill, faint, have difficulty breathing or feel disoriented visit your doctor or nearest hospital right away.

 

For more information about the health effects of extreme heat call the Canadian Red Cross Heat Info Hotline at  416-480-2615.

For more information on summer safety call Toronto Health Connection at 416-338-7600.