Summer's Heat Can Damage Your Medicines: Keep Them Safe
By Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
SATURDAY, July 27, 2024 -- As scorching temperatures continue to plague the United States this summer, millions of Americans are at risk for dehydration and heat-linked illness.
But what about their medications? Can rising temperatures render those useless and leave patients vulnerable?
Yes they can, so it's important to understand the effects of heat and humidity on certain drugs, said Dr. Mike Ren, a primary care physician and associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
“You don’t want your medications failing on you or for their potency to decrease,” he added in a Baylor news release.
“Aerosolized medications, like inhalers and other medications you breathe in, can be damaged," Ren explained. "Heat can cause liquid or injectable medications to dry up, making them hard or causing them to evaporate so that they cannot function the way they were intended."
Even pills such as thyroid medications or birth control pills might look fine after being in the heat, the critical molecules inside can be degraded. Meanwhile, liquid versions of pills can melt in the heat or become gummy.
If you worried that your medication isn't working after being in the heat, contact your pharmacy or your physician, Ren advised.
What can you do to avoid the problem in the first place?
To safely store medications, Ren suggested:
-
Remove your medications from direct sunlight.
-
Keep your medications at room temperature, in a cupboard, nightstand or in a cool, dry environment.
-
Never leave medications unattended in a vehicle.
Sources
- Baylor Medicine, news release, July 22, 2024
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers Recalled Over Labeling Mistake
FRIDAY, July 11, 2025 — A labeling mistake has led to a nationwide recall of four different types of Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwich cartons, federal health officials...
RFK Jr. Cancels Key U.S. Health Panel Meeting Without Warning, Raising Concerns
FRIDAY, July 11, 2025 — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled a meeting of government health panel that helps guide what preventive care is covered by...
U.S. Cuts to HIV Aid Could Lead to 4 Million Deaths, U.N. Warns
FRIDAY, July 11, 2025 — Global deaths from AIDS have dropped to their lowest levels in more than 30 years, in part due to efforts to fight HIV. But U.S. funding cuts could...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.