![\"Person's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_Person-holding-insulin-pen-preparing-for-injection.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA pharmacist has warned anyone on these drugs they should take action to protect themselves as the temperatures rise<\/p>\n
High temperatures can reduce how effective insulin is(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
An amber warning for extreme heat has been issued across parts of England and Wales<\/a> as a dangerous heatwave builds, which could cause big problems for millions of patients on certain medications.<\/p>\n The Met Office<\/a> has warned that temperatures are set to peak around 34\u00b0C – and potentially higher – on Monday and Tuesday. Coupled with high humidity and “tropical nights” where temperatures will fail to drop below 20\u00b0C, the intensity of the upcoming heatwave<\/a> has triggered official heat health alerts<\/a> from the UK Health Security Agency<\/a> (UKHSA).<\/p>\n Medical experts say certain people need to be extra careful during the hot weather as extreme heat doesn’t affect everyone equally, the Liverpool Echo reports.<\/a><\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter<\/p>\n Dipa Kamdar, a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice at Kingston University, says there are five common types of medication that can severely disrupt the body\u2019s natural cooling mechanisms, drastically raising the risk of heatstroke, low blood pressure, and severe dehydration.<\/p>\n Importantly, health<\/a> officials stress that patients must not stop taking their prescribed medication, but should instead take immediate preventative measures to protect themselves.<\/p>\n According to Ms Kamdar there are five medications that put people at particular risk.<\/p>\n Antidepressants<\/p>\n Ms Kamdar said commonly prescribed antidepressants like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) alter brain chemistry in a way that directly impairs the body’s internal thermostat.<\/p>\n By shifting neurotransmitters like serotonin, these drugs can severely limit a patient’s ability to sweat, making it highly difficult for the body to cool itself down in 30C weather<\/a>.<\/p>\n Antipsychotics<\/p>\n Used to manage conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, these medications block dopamine and alter serotonin levels, ms Kamdar said.<\/p>\n This process disrupts the hypothalamus – the brain’s temperature-regulating centre. Consequently, patients might lose the ability to sweat effectively or fail to realize they are overheating or thirsty, which can lead to low blood pressure and dangerous heat retention.<\/p>\n Heart and Blood Pressure Medications<\/p>\n
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