Summer Temperatures Can Damage Medicines
With intense heat sweeping across the U.S. this summer, many Americans face risks of dehydration and heat-related illnesses. However, it’s also crucial to consider how high temperatures can impact medications.
Dr. Mike Ren, a primary care physician and associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, highlights that extreme heat can affect the efficacy of certain drugs. “You don’t want your medications losing their effectiveness or potency,” he emphasized in a Baylor news release.
Medications that are inhaled, such as inhalers, and other aerosolized drugs can be compromised by heat. Additionally, high temperatures can cause liquid or injectable medications to evaporate or dry out, affecting their functionality. Even oral medications, like thyroid treatments or birth control pills, can experience degradation of their active ingredients due to heat exposure. Liquid medications might even change in consistency, becoming gummy or melting.
If you’re concerned that your medication might have been compromised by heat, Dr. Ren advises reaching out to your pharmacy or healthcare provider for guidance.
To prevent such issues, Ren recommends storing medications properly: keep them away from direct sunlight, maintain them at room temperature in a cupboard or cool, dry place, and never leave them unattended in a vehicle.
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