The guidance comes as the UK basks in above-average temperatures for this time of year
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has sent an urgent warning to anyone taking medications(Image: Getty)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has sent an urgent warning to anyone taking medication, such as sertraline when temperatures are high. Some medications can affect the body’s response to heat.
Sertraline can affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature, especially in hot weather. Advice shared by the health agency encourages people to stay hydrated, keep cool and consult a pharmacist or doctor if any questions need to be raised. Sertraline is an antidepressant medicine used to treat depression and other mental health conditions.
It’s only available with a prescription. Sertraline can be used to treat mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder.
It’s a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It’s thought to work by increasing the level of serotonin (a chemical in the brain that controls mood). NHS said: “When serotonin levels are normal you feel calmer and happier.”
Most medicines need to be stored at temperatures below 25C. Heat can break down the active ingredients in medicines, meaning they might not work when you need them.
Workers relaxing in the sunshine in Princes Dock(Image: Liverpool Echo)
That includes tablets, inhalers, hormone patches, insulin, and EpiPens. Some packaging will give clear storage instructions, but not all medicines come with a visible warning.
Medicines that need to be kept in the fridge such as insulin or certain liquid antibiotics are especially vulnerable to heat. If they’re left out too long or stored incorrectly, they may not work properly when you take them.
Expert advice stated: “If your medicine has changed colour, developed an unusual smell, changed texture, or looks different in any way, this could signal heat damage. Ask your pharmacist for advice.”
The guidance comes as the UK basks in above-average temperatures for this time of year. May heat records could be broken by nearly 3C, to hit 35C this bank holiday, the day after the UK had the month’s highest temperature in at least 79 years.
Most of the UK is expected to have very hot, unbroken sunshine during the bank holiday. Temperatures will widely reach the high 20Cs and low 30Cs, followed by a warm night.
Temperatures will start to gradually decline from the middle of the week but it will still be largely dry with sunny spells. Highs on Wednesday and Thursday in England and Wales are predicted to be about 30C to 31C, dipping to about 29C to 30C on Friday.