Medications and Summer Heat Risks
Psychiatric Drugs & Heat Stroke
breggin.com/alert-5-beware-psychiatric-drugs-heat-stroke/
Many psychiatric drugs pose a risk of potentially lethal heat exhaustion or heat stroke, including antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, and stimulants. Any drug that disrupts major neurotransmitter systems like dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, or histamine can disrupt heat regulation and poses a potential for causing or aggravating heat stroke. That includes almost all psychiatric drugs.
Older people are at especially high risk of fatal reactions. Epidemic deaths, often associated with psychiatric drugs, have been reported on hot days among the elderly in apartments and other housing without air conditioning. People of all ages are at risk when vigorously exercising in the heat. Hypotension and shock induced by heat stroke are among the causes of death or lasting organ damage, including the kidneys, liver and lungs.
Initial symptoms of heat exhaustion, hyperthermia and heat stroke include headache, nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, heavy sweating, pallor, cold skin, elevated heart rate, and weakness. As the reaction worsens, symptoms include high fever, trouble breathing, hot or red skin, dehydration with lack of sweating and dark urine, fainting, collapse, and seizures. Mental symptoms include cognitive dysfunction such as confusion and delirium. In the elderly, any abrupt decline in physical or mental health and well-being on a hot day or in a hot room should raise the question of heat exhaustion.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate medical attention. Emergency measures under clinical supervision include emersion in a bath of cold or ice water, a cooling blanket, and/or ice packs to the groin, neck, back and armpits to lower body temperature. Shivering increases the body temperature and sedative medications can relieve them.
Prevention is the best approach. Especially if you are concerned about elderly and otherwise impaired people in your life, even if they are living in a managed care facility, be sure to check on them during hot weather to make sure they are not suffering from heat exposure. If they are taking psychiatric drugs, they will need special attention to protect them from the risk of heat intolerance or heat stroke. People with impaired judgment and compromised physical health can rapidly decline when confined in a hot room or when an air conditioner fails.
breggin.com/alert-5-beware-psychiatric-drugs-heat-stroke/
Many psychiatric drugs pose a risk of potentially lethal heat exhaustion or heat stroke, including antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, and stimulants. Any drug that disrupts major neurotransmitter systems like dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, or histamine can disrupt heat regulation and poses a potential for causing or aggravating heat stroke. That includes almost all psychiatric drugs.
Older people are at especially high risk of fatal reactions. Epidemic deaths, often associated with psychiatric drugs, have been reported on hot days among the elderly in apartments and other housing without air conditioning. People of all ages are at risk when vigorously exercising in the heat. Hypotension and shock induced by heat stroke are among the causes of death or lasting organ damage, including the kidneys, liver and lungs.
Initial symptoms of heat exhaustion, hyperthermia and heat stroke include headache, nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, heavy sweating, pallor, cold skin, elevated heart rate, and weakness. As the reaction worsens, symptoms include high fever, trouble breathing, hot or red skin, dehydration with lack of sweating and dark urine, fainting, collapse, and seizures. Mental symptoms include cognitive dysfunction such as confusion and delirium. In the elderly, any abrupt decline in physical or mental health and well-being on a hot day or in a hot room should raise the question of heat exhaustion.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate medical attention. Emergency measures under clinical supervision include emersion in a bath of cold or ice water, a cooling blanket, and/or ice packs to the groin, neck, back and armpits to lower body temperature. Shivering increases the body temperature and sedative medications can relieve them.
Prevention is the best approach. Especially if you are concerned about elderly and otherwise impaired people in your life, even if they are living in a managed care facility, be sure to check on them during hot weather to make sure they are not suffering from heat exposure. If they are taking psychiatric drugs, they will need special attention to protect them from the risk of heat intolerance or heat stroke. People with impaired judgment and compromised physical health can rapidly decline when confined in a hot room or when an air conditioner fails.
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