Heat and medications: What to know

Extreme heat is a familiar part of living in Southern Arizona. Many know it comes with an increased risk of heat-related illness, but a new effort is helping raise awareness of an often-overlooked contributor – medications.

Some medications can make it harder for your body to cool itself. They can affect sweating, make you more likely to become dehydrated or increase your sensitivity to heat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified about 60 medications that may contribute. They include both prescription and over-the-counter products such as certain blood pressure medications, antidepressants, diuretics, insulin, allergy medications, pain relief medications and motion sickness medications.

“You should talk to your healthcare provider about the medications you are on and how they collectively or individually increase your risk of heat-related illness,” said Mona Arora, who leads the Heat and Medications Task Force.

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Some medications can become less effective when exposed to extreme heat. Arora explained that people shouldn’t leave medications in their cars or outside and they should talk to a pharmacist or physician about any mail order prescription concerns. 

Recognizing the signs and reducing your risk

Knowing how medications may affect heat tolerance is only one part of staying safe. Recognizing the warning signs of heat-related illness and taking simple preventive steps can help reduce your risk.

Symptoms may include:

• Confusion and dizziness
• Feeling more tired and thirsty than usual
• Muscle cramps, usually in the abdomen or legs
• Sweating more or less than usual
• Raised body temperature
• Lower blood pressure

The task force encourages community members to take the following precautions:

• Stay cool by wearing lightweight clothes, staying indoors during the hottest time of day when possible and taking breaks during physical activity.
• Stay hydrated and eat smaller, lighter meals more often. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water.
• Watch out for those at higher risk, including children, those living alone and people over 65. Never leave adults, children or pets inside a vehicle.
• Contact your clinician, pharmacist or the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at 1-800-222-1222 for questions about your medications.

How the Heat and Medications Task Force is making a difference

Created two summers ago, the Heat and Medications Task Force studies how medications affect the body's response to heat and turns that research into guidance for healthcare professionals and community members.

“A direct focus of this task force is to build awareness, both on the community and healthcare sides, of these medications and how they change our body, more specifically our ability to cool down during heat,” said Arora.

The volunteer effort, coordinated through the Southwest Center on Resilience for Climate and Health, includes representatives from the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, the College of Medicine, the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, the College of Nursing, the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Pima County Health Department and the Arizona Community Health Workers Association.

“This group has the academic, clinical and public health practice expertise and the right kind of impetus to take action,” said Arora. “We’re using data to help us prioritize our actions.” 

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The task force's work is increasingly important as Arizona experiences longer heat seasons and rising heat-related illnesses. According to the Pima County Health Department, the county recorded 117 heat-related deaths and 893 heat-related emergency department visits in 2025.

By connecting university experts to community partners, the task force is helping translate research into practical guidance and fulfilling its strategic imperative of "Engagement with Our Communities to Create Opportunity."

“Extreme heat is a chronic issue here,” Arora said. “We have a very long heat season.”

Building awareness

According to Arora, research shows that limited access to air conditioning and living alone can increase the risk of heat-related illness.

To help address those risks, the task force partners with local healthcare providers to embed heat and medication safety into patient care.

In April, the task force partnered with Tucson Medical Center and the Southern Arizona Health Alliance to train healthcare providers, including emergency medical services, to identify heat-related risk factors. This includes asking patients about access to air conditioning, cooling centers and social support, and having healthcare workers determine whether medication adjustments or alternatives are appropriate.

The task force is also working to build partnerships with other community and behavioral health centers in Southern Arizona to build awareness and provide actionable information for providers and community members.

Beyond training and education, Arora said the task force is analyzing local data on heat-related deaths and hospitalizations to understand how risk varies among medication categories.

“Heat deaths are preventable,” said Arora. “Be aware of the signs of heat illness, your medications and ask your healthcare provider questions about your medications.”

For more information, review this guide with heat illness prevention tips, symptoms, medication information and support resources.