Heat and how it affects medication 

Finding ways to keep your body cool during extremely high temperatures is important and so is ensuring your medications aren’t exposed to extreme heat.

Scott Hall, a Mayo Clinic pharmacist, says medications can become degraded during temperature changes. He says some medications also can cause heat intolerance.

Temperature can affect any medication a person is taking, but some are more prone to problems than others.

“Insulin is definitely going to be one of those medications. So patients with diabetes should try to not store their insulin in a place where the temperature will get too high,” says Hall.

Store your medications in a cool, dry place. If you keep them in a bathroom where you shower, leave the medicine in the original container.

Some medicines can cause heat intolerance: 

■Blood pressure medications 

■ Antihistamines 

■Decongestants 

■Psychiatric medications 

Mayo Clinic News Network