Medication and pharmacological aspects: effects of high temperatures

Adverse effects of medication use at high ambient temperatures

Medication can potentially cause increased health problems, when used at high ambient temperatures, in a number of ways:

Ø Altering central thermoregulation and therefore physiological and behavioural responses.

Ø Changing cognitive alertness, leading to, for example, increased drowsiness and reduced heat avoidance behaviour.

Ø Changing blood pressure and cardiac output, affecting cooling by vasodilation or increasing dizziness and fainting.

Ø Inhibiting normal sweating mechanisms for cooling by evaporation due to anti-cholinergic effects blocking the parasympathetic nervous system.

Ø Altering renal function and electrolyte balance, with increased risks from dehydration and drug toxicity, or overhydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Many groups of medication can cause these effects via a variety of mechanisms: