Heat and Medications Taskforce

Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. Heat also impacts how our bodies function when we are exposed to extremely high environmental temperatures. The medications we take can also increase our risk to developing heat related illness by influencing how our body responds to heat. In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, SCORCH has convened a Heat and Medications Taskforce to build awareness of this issue among the broad health care provider community and the public.

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Image of the information sheet (PDF) in English and Spanish conveying the risks of certain medications when also experiencing heat.

Don't Overheat: Know Your Medications Information Sheet for Individuals  Certain medications can increase a person’s sensitivity to heat. Heat can intensify the side effects of certain medications by putting stress on the body's natural cooling processes. This resource in English and Spanish provides information on the signs and symptoms of heat illness and shares heat-related illness prevention strategies. The second page is a consolidated list of medications that may increase sensitivity to heat. It is important to talk to your health care provider about how medications may affect you and if you need to take extra precautions.

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Image of the information sheet (PDF) Heat and Medications Information Sheet for Health Care Providers.

Heat and Medications Information Sheet for Health Care Providers                                   

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Heat and Medications Information Sheet  Feedback Form
Heat and Med Infographic (text) English

Did you know? (PNG) Heat and Medications Infographics

Plain language infographics relay that taking certain medications can increase the risk of developing heat related illness during the extreme heat season, offer tips to decrease those risks, and provide guidance to reach out to a clinician, pharmacist, or the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center for questions about medications and extreme heat. Content for these plain language infographics was developed by the Arizona Heat and Medications Task Force and designed by the Arizona Department of Health Services for the purpose of building community awareness about this serious issue.

¿Sabias que? (PNG) Infografía sobre el calor y los medicamentos

Las infografías en lenguaje sencillo transmiten que tomar ciertos medicamentos puede aumentar el riesgo de desarrollar enfermedades relacionadas con el calor durante la temporada de calor extremo, ofrecen consejos para disminuir esos riesgos y brindan orientación para comunicarse con un médico, farmacéutico o el Centro de información sobre intoxicaciones y medicamentos de Arizona si tiene preguntas sobre medicamentos y calor extremo. El contenido de estas infografías en lenguaje sencillo fue desarrollado por el Grupo de trabajo sobre calor y medicamentos de Arizona y diseñado por el Departamento de Servicios de Salud de Arizona con el propósito de crear conciencia en la comunidad sobre este grave problema.

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Heat and Meds Infographic (text) Spanish
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Text: Medications and Heat Safety: Some medications can raise your risk of heat-related illness by raising your temperature, lowering your blood pressure, reducing your awareness of heat, changing your ability to sweat, changing your heart's output and heart rate, and increasing your risk of dehydration or fainting. Images include a person sweating and a heart.
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"Los medicamentos ante el calor: Algunos medicamentos pueden aumentar tu riesgo de sufrir enfermedades relacionadas con el calor.  Aumentando la temperatura corporal, Bajando la presión arterial, Reduciendo la noción sobre el calor, Cambiando la capacidad de sudar, Cambiando el ritmo cardiaco, Aumentando el riesgo de deshidratación o desmayos.

Medications and Heat Safety Postcard (PDF)

The reverse side includes medications that can increase risk of heat-related illness. Categories: recreational drugs, insulin, common medications, hear medications, psyhchiatric medications, and central nervous system stimulants.

Los medicamentos ante el calor tarjeta postal (PDF)

El reverso incluye medicamentos que pueden aumentar el riesgo de enfermedades relacionadas con el calor. Categorías:  drogas recreativas, insulina, medicamentos comunes, medicamentos para el corazón, medicamentos psiquiátricos, y estimulantes del sistem nervioso central.

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Resource card with AZ Poison Center, ADHS, and SCORCH logos.

Preventing & Recognizing Heat-Related Illness Flyer [English; Spanish; English (text only); Spanish (soló texto)] and Postcards (English; Spanish). These resources were developed by the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), and SCORCH to share safety tips for preventing health-related illness, increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness, and caution the public about potentially dangerous interactions between heat exposure and medications. All feature a QR code for locating a nearby Arizona cooling center and/or hydration station.

University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

Mona Arora, PhD (Lead) Assistant Research Professor, Multiple Principal Investigator for SCORCH, Community Engagement Core Lead

Kacey Ernst, PhD Professor & Department Chair, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Multiple Principal Investigator for SCORCH

Bridget Murphy, DBH, MEd Assistant Research Professor, (Center for Rural Health)


Arizona Department of Health Services

Jennifer Botsford, Bureau Chief, Resiliency and the Environment

Eugene Livar, MD, Chief Heat Officer


Pima County Health Department

Amanda Anderson, MPH, RS, Emergency Mitigation and Preparedness Division Manager

Mark Person, Program Manager II, Community Mental Health & Addiction and Injury Division


Arizona Community Health Workers Association, Inc. 

Richard Redondo, PSIO BS, CHW, Research & Programs Manager


University of Arizona, Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center

Cori Cantin, BSPH, CHES, Community Outreach Coordinator

Steve Dudley, PharmD, DABAT, Director

Alexander James Jasensky


University of Arizona, College of Medicine 

Brian Drummond. MD, FAAEM, Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine - (Clinical Series Track), Department of Emergency Medicine

Harry McDermott, MD, MPH, Physician and Public Health Officer, Campus Health Service, Professor, Division of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Professor, Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine The University of Arizona


University of Arizona, College of Pharmacy

Christopher Edwards, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP, Associate Clinical Professor, Dept. of Pharmacy Practice and Science, Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine University of Arizona

Elizabeth Hall-Lipsy, JD, MPH, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Assessment, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona


University of Arizona College of Nursing

Kristie Hoch, DNP, CRNA, MS, FAANA, Associate Clinical Professor, Program Administrator, Nurse Anesthesiology Specialty