Extreme Heat Can Cause These Medications to Stop Working...

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Fact checked by Nick BlackmerFact checked by Nick Blackmer
Key TakeawaysMany medications, both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC), may be affected by extreme heat.Certain drugs can actually stop working if they’ve been exposed to temperature swings, both high and low.Experts say you can take steps to keep your medications safe from high temperatures, like following storage directions on the packaging, using cool packs when traveling, and making sure you don’t leave your meds in a hot car.
As the term “heat dome” has appeared in more and more headlines, it’s no surprise that extreme temperatures are becoming a factor in our daily lives. While staying cool and comfortable may seem like the main summer challenge, you may have more to worry about if you take medication. Extreme heat can render some prescription medications useless, leaving patients without the safe and effective treatments they count on.Does Heat Hurt Prescription Drugs?The chemical structures of many medications are vulnerable to temperature, Jennifer Bourgeois, PharmD, a pharmacy and health expert at SingleCare, told Verywell. High temperatures, in particular, can cause the drugs’ molecular structures to degrade, which in turn leads to diminished potency and effectiveness.Each formulation can react differently to temperature exposures, according to Bourgeois. Tablets may change color, melt, or give off strange odors, while creams and gels may get watery or overly thick. These changes can affect how the medication is absorbed by the body.Most tablet medications are most effective between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, Bourgeois said. However, they might be able to have brief exposures to temperatures as low as 59 degrees F and as high as 86 degrees. Ideally, you want to keep all medications at a stable temperature. What is best depends, though—each drug has a different “best-at” temperature.Some drugs, such as insulin, antibiotics, pediatric suspensions, injected biological medications, glaucoma eye drops, and certain nasal sprays, should be kept in lower temperatures—around 35–46 degrees, said Maria Pino, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology at New York Institute of Technology.
Related: Why Drugs Are Temperature-Sensitive
Which Medications Can’t Take the Heat?Thomas So, PharmD, a senior manager of the consumer drug information group at First DataBank, told Verywell that different medications are affected by temperature in different ways.Here’s a breakdown of the medications that are most likely to be affected by extreme heat and what happens if they’re exposed to high temps:Birth control pills: The hormones in birth control pills can break down in extreme heat, so they may lose potency and not work as expected to protect against pregnancy.Thyroid hormones: Thyroid hormones have a narrow dosage range, and extreme heat can cause the hormones to break down. This lowered potency can make them less effective as thyroid hormone replacement therapy.EpiPens: Epinephrine, the chemical compound found in EpiPens, is very sensitive to high temperatures. Heat can also affect the liquid solution inside the pen, which can interfere with the delivery of the medication during a severe allergic reaction.Antibiotic suspensions: Antibiotics are more susceptible to heat after they’re mixed with liquids to create a suspension. Reduced potency can make these medications less effective at treating infections, which in turn can lead to the need for more or stronger antibiotics. According to Bourgeois, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, and cephalexin are all especially susceptible.Nitroglycerin tablets and sprays: Heat can break down nitroglycerin, lowering its potency. Since nitroglycerin is urgently used to treat chest pain, any loss of potency can have serious—and even deadly—consequences.Insulins: Insulins are proteins that are highly susceptible to breaking down in extreme heat. Lower potency for someone who needs insulin can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and even a diabetic coma.GLP-1 receptor agonists: The newest wave of anti-obesity medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, are also proteins and, therefore, susceptible to extreme heat. If GLP-1s are used to treat diabetes, blood sugars can surge out of control. People taking the drugs for weight loss may find the medications are less effective after exposure to high temperatures.Aspirin: Not only can aspirin become less effective if it’s subjected to high heat, but it can also break down into its components—acetic and salicylic acid. If you take aspirin that’s broken down, these compounds can upset your stomach.Suppositories: Heat can melt suppositories, affecting the medication delivery (which is done via an orifice such as the rectum or vagina).In addition to individual medications, So warns that inhalers and aerosols can burst in high temperatures. Medication patches may also be affected if the adhesive melts.
Related: These Common Medications May Cause More Side Effects When It’s Hot Out
How Can You Keep Your Meds Safe from Heat?Many medications have a “Goldilocks temperament,” so how can you keep yours safe and effective—especially in extreme heat?Experts agree that the first step is reading and following the storage directions on the product’s packaging. Make sure you understand what is required for safekeeping at home. If you have questions, ask your prescribing provider or local pharmacist for tips.Next, think about where you’re storing them. For example, Pino said you don’t want to keep your medications in bathroom medicine cabinets because steam and warmth from the shower may negatively affect them.You also want to think about what you’ll do if you need your meds when you’re not at home—and that includes making a trip to pick up prescriptions just across town on a summer day. For one, never leave medicines in a hot car—even for a quick trip. Proteins like insulin and GLP-1s can start to break down after only hours in the heat.If you’re traveling far from home, planning ahead to beat the heat will go a long way toward protecting your medications so that they can keep you healthy.“Use an insulated container with cool packs. Just do not allow your medications to contact the cool pack directly, as this may also damage the drug. Avoid leaving your drugs in the car, as the temperature can easily go above 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) in the car,” said So. “When flying, carry your drugs with you in your carry-on luggage. The baggage areas on planes are not temperature controlled.”
What This Means for YouYour medications may be vulnerable to the effects of heat, and even leaving them in a hot car on a quick trip could make them ineffective. Always read the labels on your medications and make sure you understand how to store them properly.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.

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