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Taking Medication? Here’s Why Florida’s Heat May Affect You Differently

Close-up of a woman examining an orange medication bottle.

Health & Wellness

By: Kaia Bonner

South Florida is no stranger to the extreme heat, but lately temperatures are getting harder to ignore. As heat advisories keep popping up, there’s one thing you may not realize has been affecting how your body handles the heat.

Some medications can change the way you respond to heat, including how much you sweat, how thirsty you feel, or how easily your body can cool itself down. This makes someone more vulnerable to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or other heat-related illnesses.

What medications can make the heat harder to handle?

The following medications can change how your body responds to high temperatures::

  • Antidepressants
  • Allergy medicines and antihistamines
  • Blood pressure and heart medications
  • Diuretics, also known as water pills
  • Certain ADHD medications, or stimulants
  • Certain diabetes medicines

Know the signs your body is getting too hot.

Listening to your body can make all the difference when dealing with heat-related symptoms.

Some warning signs include:

  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Confusion

Some medications make your skin burn more easily in the sun.

Certain antibiotics such as tetracycline, levofloxacin, and Bactrim can cause a sunburn-like rash even with modest sun exposure.

If you take these, you should:

  • Stay in the shade and avoid mid-day sun.
  • Wear a hat, sunglasses, and protective clothing.
  • Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

Store medications properly.

Heat can also affect the medication itself. Medicines such as EpiPens, insulins, and inhalers can lose strength after heat exposure. Make sure that you’re following storage directions when handling these medications.

Stay safe in the heat.

If you take medications that affect how your body responds to heat, a few extra precautions can help:

  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Limit time outdoors, especially during the hottest periods of the day.
  • Take breaks in shaded or air conditioned areas.
  • Pay attention to your body and the symptoms it may be showing you.

If you’re unsure about how your prescribed medication affects you in the heat, make sure to speak with your pharmacist or primary care doctor.