A summer of high temperatures in St. Louis means the perfect conditions for heat intolerance. The condition — also called heat stress — can trigger when the body becomes overheated in warm environments or during activities. It can lead to headaches, nausea, loss of consciousness and in severe cases death.
Heat alone isn’t the only factor behind the health risks of high temperatures. Clinical assistant professor and community pharmacist Catherine Gilmore pointed out that medications can dysregulate the body’s ability to tolerate heat.
She said that being educated about your medications is the first step to knowing why it may cause heat intolerance.
“We have side effects that have been studied and documented associated with things, but just because it's listed as a side effect does not mean that you will experience it or you may be on the opposite end of that spectrum, you may strongly respond.” Gilmore said.
Some common types of medication that cause heat intolerance include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which can affect the way neurotransmitters react to heat, and beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.
Gilmore also cautioned users of diuretics, which are used to help get rid of excessive fluid retention due to heart failure and other swelling disorders. Even Benadryl can pose some risk.
“A common over-the counter-medication we see that with is diphenhydramine.” Gilmore said. “[That] general class of medications work by reducing the body's ability to produce sweat, and that's one of the main ways in which our bodies get rid of the heat.”
It is a common misconception, Gilmore added, that only older adults are at risk for heat intolerance after taking multiple medications.
“Anyone can experience these side effects associated with medications.” she said. “If you're taking one medication, you may not be experiencing those symptoms as much, but if you're taking two or three or four medications, you may and so we typically associate it with older adults.”
On very hot days, it can be tricky for a person to gauge whether their discomfort is normal or related to their medications. Gilbert advised they ask their pharmacist and take steps to get out of the heat while drinking plenty of water. If you need to be out on hotter days, she suggested finding cool, shaded spots to rest and wearing light, breathable clothing.
For more about the science of pharmacy and how your medicines may be affecting your body’s ability to regulate heat listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Darrious Varner is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
