Many older individuals in Erie take one or more medications on a daily basis. Because of this, it is important that you are aware of the different side effects that these medications may have. This is especially important when it comes to how these medications can affect them during the summer. There are several medications that have an effect on temperature regulation. Here are three ways that medications can affect temperature regulation in the older population during the summer.
Sun Sensitivity
One way that medications can affect temperature regulation in the older population during the summer is by increasing their sensitivity to the sun. These medications can be taken orally, topically, or injected, but all can increase sun sensitivity. Some medications, such as certain antibiotics, NSAIDS, diuretics, anti-malarial drugs, statins, antiarrhythmics, St. John's Wort, and more, increase sensitivity. The older population who take these medications are more at risk of having a phototoxic or photoallergic reaction when in the sun, which shows up as skin inflammation that resembles sunburn, rashes, and eczema.
Dehydration
A lot of older individuals in Erie use diuretic medications to help control edema, hypertension, and glaucoma. These can cause them to lose water more quickly, which can lead to dehydration in the summer. Older individuals may also forget the last time they drank water, which can reduce their water intake so that they don't have to go to the bathroom as often; this increases their risk for dehydration. The use of laxatives, chemotherapy drugs, and antihistamines can also make dehydration worse for older individuals.
Heat Intolerance
Older individuals naturally have a harder time with heat intolerance due to the fact that they sweat less and can't regulate their body temperature as well. This is often made even worse when you add medications that cause heat intolerance. These medications include psychiatric drugs that block the signals to the brain that normally indicate an increase in body temperature and heart medications that reduce the amount of blood flow to the skin. There are also medications that decrease sweating, such as antidepressants and medications containing diphenhydramine, which don't allow them to cool themselves in the heat properly.
There are several heat-related illnesses that can occur when an older individual gets too hot, such as hyperthermia, heat fainting, heat cramps, heat edema, heat exhaustion, and ultimately a heat stroke. Some signs to watch for that may indicate this is happening are nausea, vomiting, decreased sweating, changes in heart rate, confusion, and fainting.
Conclusion on Temperature Regulation
To get the help that you need to care for your older loved one and help reduce their heat-related risks, you can hire a Senior Helper in Erie. They will be able to help keep your loved ones safe and make sure they are well cared for on a daily basis. They will also ensure that they are kept cool by dressing them appropriately for warmer weather, keeping them well hydrated, and shading them from the sun. To learn more about Senior Helpers, visit us today at Senior Helpers of Erie.