Your medication and summer heat: storing it and protecting yourself

What the AEMPS says about storing medicines in the heat, which treatments to watch during a heatwave and how to prepare.

In summer you need to think about two things: how to store your medicines so they do not lose effectiveness, and how to protect yourself, because some treatments make the body tolerate heat less well. The good news is that most medicines need no special care and, with a few precautions, you can enjoy the summer with peace of mind.

We explain what the Spanish medicines agency (AEMPS) says about storage, which medicines to keep an eye on during a heatwave and what to do if you travel.

Does heat affect your medicines?

For most, not significantly. The AEMPS explains that many medicines need no special conditions and have been shown not to degrade at 40 °C for six months. For those that must be stored below 25 °C or 30 °C, it considers that occasional peaks above 40 °C should not affect them, because in Spain they are brief and the places where medicines are kept at home are usually cooler.

The exceptions are medicines that must be kept in the fridge and heat sensitive forms such as creams, pessaries or suppositories. The first thing to do is read the leaflet and the packaging: if a medicine needs special conditions, they are stated there.

How should you store them at home and when you go out?

Follow what the packaging says. This table summarises what to do according to the storage instruction:

• In the car: the AEMPS advises against leaving medicines in the boot or in the passenger area in the sun, because the temperature can rise a lot.
• At the beach or pool: take only what you need for that day, in the shade and inside a bag.
• When travelling: carry your medication in your hand luggage. There are more tips in travelling abroad with your medication.

Can your medication increase the risk from heat?

Yes, some medicines can worsen dehydration or make it harder for the body to regulate its temperature. According to an AEMPS note published by the Castile and León Medicines Portal, it has not been established that medicines cause heatstroke, but some can worsen its effects.

• Diuretics, especially loop diuretics, because they affect hydration and electrolytes.
• Medicines that affect the kidneys, such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs and non steroidal anti inflammatories (NSAIDs).
• Anticholinergics, which can affect sweating and temperature regulation.
• Antipsychotics, which can affect central temperature regulation.
• Lithium, some antiarrhythmics, digoxin, antiepileptics, some diabetes medicines, statins and other blood pressure medicines are also mentioned.

This does not mean you should stop taking them. The same note says that reducing or stopping them systematically is not justified and that any adjustment must be assessed individually. If you take any of them, ask your doctor or pharmacist before the summer which precautions suit you. If you also spend time in the sun, read photosensitising medicines: sunbathing on medication.

What should you do during a heatwave if you take medication?

The priority is to stay hydrated and cool and to keep taking your treatment as usual unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Do not take new medicines, including those that do not need a prescription, without professional advice.

1. Drink water throughout the day even if you are not thirsty, unless your doctor has told you to limit fluids.
2. Avoid going out and exerting yourself during the hottest hours.
3. Keep your home cool: blinds down during the day and ventilation at night.
4. If you feel dizzy, weak, have a severe headache or are very thirsty, go somewhere cool, drink and ask for advice; if confusion or loss of consciousness appears, call 112.

You can go over the symptoms in how to recognise the symptoms of heatstroke.

A practical example: Ramón, 66, spends August in his home village

Let us take the case of Ramón, 66, recently retired, who takes a diuretic and another blood pressure medicine, as well as metformin for diabetes. In August he spends three weeks in his home village, where temperatures often exceed 38 °C.

• Before leaving, he asks at his pharmacy whether any of his medicines need precautions in the heat, and they recommend he speaks to his doctor.
• His doctor reviews his case, gives him hydration guidelines and tells him which symptoms should make him seek advice.
• He carries his medication in his hand luggage, never in the boot, and keeps it in the coolest bedroom of the house.
• He takes enough medication for the whole month and his treatment list in case he needs to visit the village health centre.

Ramón has not changed his treatment on his own: he has prepared in advance and knows what to watch for.

How can IMA Health help you?

At IMA Health we coordinate with a specialised pharmacy that prepares your medication by day and time of each dose and we deliver it to your home, which helps you have everything ready before your holidays. We also provide personalised follow-up so that any change your doctor decides, for example in summer, is reflected in your doses.

Sources

• AEMPS: How to store medicines in summer (in Spanish)
• Medicines Portal (Castile and León regional government): appropriate use of medicines during a heatwave (AEMPS note MUH 8/2016) (in Spanish)

This article is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.