Torrid heat, beware of the medications you take: some are very dangerous

With the scorching heat of the month of July, you have to pay attention to the drugs taken. Doctors sound the alarm.

Using some types of drugs can be particularly harmful to health if temperatures are high.

The heat of summer 2022 is unbearable. For several weeks the temperatures have been comparable to those of the month of August. Then, the lack of rain and drought to aggravate the situation and leave citizens in despair. The only solution is to stand in front of a fan or under the air conditioner with the risk, however, of a cold. And we all know what it means to have a fever or a sore throat for two years now, make a tampon. Suffering from heat is not, however, equally advisable as it can lead to dehydration, fatigue and fainting. In addition, special attention must be paid to the interaction between heat and drugs. It may be necessary recalibrate drug therapies due to the scorching heat after consultation with your doctor.

Torrid heat and drugs, pay attention to the intake

Ciro Indolfi, president of the Italian Society of Cardiology, said that due to the scorching heat, medicines for the treatment of hypertension and diuretic and circulatory problems should be taken with caution. Attention too taking sedatives that do not get along with the heat of these days.

The reason behind this statement is the alteration that the organism undergoes when it faces high temperatures, close to 40 °. The heart contracts faster and the amount of blood in circulation doubles. The increase in sweating then accelerates dehydration of the body. This is why it is essential to drink plenty of water and eat foods rich in minerals and liquids.

It’s time to recalibrate drug therapies

For the reasons listed by Indolfi, it may be necessary to recalibrate the pharmacological therapies of patients who have problems renal, cardiac, pulmonary and the elderly who are known to take a large amount of drugs. Attention also to circulatory diseases and hypertension. Diuretics and sedatives may interfere with the normal regulatory action of the body. The doctor could therefore opt for a reduction in quantities taken daily when high temperatures are reached.

Remodeling may also be needed for beta blockers, ace-receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers and ace-inhibitors. Finally, Indolfi suggests that avoid exercise in the hot hours of the day and to recognize in time the symptoms of a heatstroke such as headache, weakness, nausea, lightheadedness, dry and hot skin, rapid and shallow breathing and dark urine.

(The information in this article is for informational purposes only and concerns scientific studies published in medical journals. Therefore, it does not replace the consultation of a doctor or specialist, and should not be considered for formulating treatments or diagnoses)