Don’t let this heatwave affect your medicines: 3 key tips from the MHRA

With another hot day expected in the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reminding the public that these hot conditions can affect medicines and their effectiveness. Hot weather can change your body’s response to medications and affect long-term symptom management, but you can avoid the problem with a few simple steps.

Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said:

“Let’s be honest, when a heat wave is coming, most of us focus on getting outside and enjoying it while it lasts. But it’s easy to forget that medications left out in the heat, like in your car or bag or on a sunny windowsill, may not work properly when you need them.

“Some medications can make you feel hot, dizzy, and more susceptible to dehydration when exposed to sunlight, especially if you take diuretics or have conditions such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes.

“To stay safe in the heat:

• Store your medicine in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, especially if you are on the go.
• Know the signs of heat stroke – stay hydrated and listen to your body
• If your medicine makes your skin more susceptible to burns, be especially careful in the sun

“Remember that for all medicines, it is important to read the leaflet and consult your health professional if you have any questions.”

1. Store medicines in a hot car or out of direct sunlight.

Most medicines must be stored at temperatures below 25°C. However, during the summer, cars, trains, and buses can get hot quickly, and rooms exposed to direct sunlight can get much hotter than you think. Bags and even pockets can get hot enough to cause problems, especially if you’re out all day or going to a festival, sporting event, beach, etc.

Heat can break down the active ingredients in your medicine, which can make it no longer work when you need it. This includes pills, inhalers, hormone patches, insulin, and EpiPens. Although some packages have clear storage instructions, not all medicines have visible warnings.

Medications that must be kept in the refrigerator, such as insulin and certain liquid antibiotics, are particularly sensitive to heat. If left too long or stored improperly, it may not function properly when taken.

If the medicine changes color, has a strange odor, changes texture, or changes appearance in any way, this may indicate heat damage. Ask your pharmacist for advice.

If you are at home, check the patient information leaflet for storage instructions and store your medicines in the coolest part of your house, away from direct sunlight. If you travel, don’t leave it in a parked car or in a thermal bag. If you’re going to be out all day, an insulated bag will come in handy.

Heat damage can also affect how much medicine your body absorbs, potentially making your usual dosage too strong or too weak. If you notice a change in your mood or the effectiveness of your medicine during hot weather, consult your pharmacist or doctor.

Don’t forget about medical equipment either.

This applies not only to pharmaceuticals. Some medical devices can also be affected by heat and moisture. For example, if you are managing diabetes, using or storing your blood sugar monitor in a high temperature environment may make the readings less reliable.

Store your device and test strips in a cool, dry place and check the included instructions for temperature guidelines. If your device does not work as expected, run a control check or consult your pharmacist for advice.

For more information about medicine and medical device safety, please visit the MHRA website or report a concern through the MHRA. yellow card system.

2. If you are taking diuretics or blood pressure medications, drink more water and stay cool.

In hot weather, more water is lost from the body through sweating, and some medications can make this worse or make it harder for the body to cope with the heat.

People who take diuretics, such as furosemide, or “water pills,” already lose more water through urination. This can lead to dehydration and mineral imbalance. Blood pressure medications, such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers, can also make it harder for your body to regulate its temperature, especially during sudden bouts of heat. ACE inhibitors may even suppress your natural thirst response.

Some diabetes drugs, such as insulin and metformin, can also increase the risk of dehydration or make early symptoms harder to detect. Antipsychotics, such as olanzapine and quetiapine, or stimulants for attention disorders can raise your body temperature and make you more likely to overheat.

Dehydration can cause symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, fatigue, confusion, and dark urine. This is especially dangerous for the elderly, young children, and people with heart or kidney problems. If you start to feel sick from the heat, move to a cooler area, drink water slowly, and see a doctor if you don’t feel better right away.

3. Find out if your medication increases your risk of sunburn

Some common medications can make your skin more susceptible to burns even in mild sunlight. This includes antibiotics, diuretics, antidepressants, or skin treatments for acne or eczema. Painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen are also known to sometimes cause mild sun sensitivity, but this is less common and is usually only a concern with frequent or long-term use.

One drug to be especially careful about is methotrexate, which is used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, and cancer. Even low doses can cause extreme skin sensitivity to sunlight. This can cause a painful rash, blisters, and swelling that looks like a severe sunburn. In rare cases, these reactions can cause serious infections.

The risk increases on sunny days, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors, such as walking your dog, gardening, or going out on holidays. Even a short walk on your lunch break or a train ride in the sun can be enough to trigger a reaction in some people.

If you are taking any medication, be sure to read the patient information leaflet or ask your pharmacist if there are any side effects of sun sensitivity.

Note to editor

1. If you have any concerns about medicines or medical devices, please report them through the MHRA’s Yellow Card Scheme. This scheme can be accessed at the following URL: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
2. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring that they work and are reasonably safe. All of our work is backed by solid fact-based judgment to ensure the benefits are worth the risks.
3. The MHRA is the executive arm of the Department of Health and Social Care.
4. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]or call us on 020 3080 7651.