HEALTHY LIVING Stay Safe in Summer Heat


With temperatures soaring, medications you take and your age may put you at higher risk. ::


BY VERA TWEED W


ith extreme temperatures becoming more common, heat-related health risks are on the rise.


According to the U.S. Centers for


Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1,200 people die in this country each year as a direct cause of extreme heat. Being in a hot environment puts stress


on the heart and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, irregular heart rhythms, hospitalizations, and deaths. When the body heats up, it uses a


variety of mechanisms to cool, including sweating and cutaneous vasodilation. Perspiration is released by sweat glands, cooling the skin as it evaporates, and blood vessels near the skin widen. This vasodilation increases blood flow at the surface relative to the core, allowing heat to be released. But there are limits to what the body


can do to regulate its temperature in extreme heat situations. Health risks are especially high when a heat wave first strikes; our bodies are not accustomed to the higher temperatures and may not cool down efficiently. In addition, when high temperatures last more than a few days, there’s no break in the stress on the body from the heat. Medication side effects can also disrupt


the process. For instance, drugs to treat hypertension may increase vasodilation on top of the body’s natural attempts, causing blood pressure to drop too low. This can result in fainting and even dangerous falls. And dehydration, which is more


common during hot weather and increased sweating, can concentrate blood levels of medications, which makes them more potent and increases the risk of adverse drug reactions.


82 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | JULY 2025


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