…and other items from this week’s health news:

The heat is on

As the temperatures hit record highs again, some people will be more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heatstroke than others, because of a lot of common mediations impair our body’s ability to deal with such temperatures.

This includes medications that (as their intended effect or, more commonly, as a side effect):

• change circulation (especially vasoconstrictors)
• change temperature perception (and thus reduce the body’s ability to respond to the actual temperature)
• have a diuretic effect (so you pee away your hydration, and dehydrate more quickly)
• raise the body temperature directly (often by increasing the metabolism in some fashion, such as stimulants or thyroid meds)
• reduce sweating (an important cooling mechanism)
• reduce thirst (so people dehydrate without realizing it)

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of meds that make us more vulnerable to heatstroke: amitriptyline, amoxapine, aripiprazole, asenapine, benztropine, bupropion, cariprazine, citalopram, chlorpromazine, clozapine, desipramine, desvenlafaxine, diphenhydramine, doxepin, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, iloperidone, imipramine, lithium, loxapine, lurasidone, nortriptyline, olanzapine, paliperidone, paroxetine, perphenazine, promethazine, quetiapine, risperidone, sertraline, thiothixene, thioridazine, trazodone, trifluoperazine, trihexyphenidyl, venlafaxine, vilazodone, vortioxetine, ziprasidone

Here’s an equally non-exhaustive list of the same meds, this time by brand names: Abilify, Asendin, Artane, Aventyl, Benadryl, Brintellix, Celexa, Clozaril, Cogentin, Cymbalta, Desyrel, Elavil, Effexor, Eskalith, Fanapt, Fetzima, Geodon, Haldol, Invega, Latuda, Lexapro, Loxitane, Navane, Norpramin, Oleptro, Pamelor, Paxil, Phenergan, Pristiq, Prolixin, Prozac, Rexulti, Risperdal, Saphris, Seroquel, Sinequan, Silenor, Stelazine, Thorazine, Tofranil, Trilafon, Viibryd, Vraylar, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Zyprexa, Zyban

Note that this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your meds as prescribed; it just means that if you’re on one or more of these meds, or any medication(s) that have similar effects, you will need to be extra careful.

When spending time in the sun (honestly a good thing to avoid in high heat, but if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it as safely as possible), it’s also best to have a “buddy system” (e.g. partner, friend, etc) to notice when the other one is not doing well—as heat exhaustion and heatstroke can impair our ability to notice it in ourselves.

Read in full: These 8 Common Medications May Increase Your Risk of Heat Stroke, Experts Explain ← the title says “8 common medications” but what the article actually discusses is 8 kinds of medications that do this

Related: Sun, Sea, And Sudden Killers To Avoid: Stay Safe From Heat Exhaustion & Heatstroke!

The one-shot vs malaria

As the temperatures rise each year and mosquitos spread further north than they used to, people in what have historically been temperate climates are now having to worry about mosquito-borne illnesses when this was never previously a risk unless travelling. This risk will, barring serious preventative measures being taken, likely only increase each year now.

So, what’s to be done about it?

Researchers (Dr. Eleanor Stride et al.) have developed a new vaccine delivery system using programmable microcapsules that can release booster doses over time from a single injection. This addresses a key issue in global health: many people miss booster shots due to limited healthcare access, reducing vaccine effectiveness. So, being able to get it all done at once is a big benefit.

Researchers can precisely control the timing of booster release, ranging from two weeks to several months after injection, and in preclinical trials, the “single shot” method using the malaria vaccine provided protection comparable to traditional two-dose regimens. Now, of course, it moves to the next testing stages:

Read in full: Single-shot malaria vaccine delivery system could transform global immunization

Related: Dodging Dengue In The US ← also a mosquito-borne illness, also on the rise in the US; practical tips here beyond the obvious, too

Hot tubs for immune health?

Ok, when the weather isn’t too hot to enjoy such…

Researchers (Dr. Jessica Atencio et al.) have found that the health benefits of going to sauna don’t require going to a sauna, and in fact can be gained from a hot tub, albeit with some caveats:

❝There’s no doubt in my mind that if people are willing to do some heat therapy, it’s going to align with improved health, as long as it’s done in moderation.

We always say that exercise is the primary nonpharmacological treatment that people should be doing to promote health, but some people can’t or just won’t exercise; heat therapy is good supplementation❞

Since it’s the hot water, not the bubbles, that confer the beneficial effects, this also means that (notwithstanding the article title) simply enjoying a hot bath will provide the same boost:

Read in full: Hot tubs outperform saunas in boosting blood flow and immune power

Related: How Useful Is Hydrotherapy?

Take care!