People taking certain medications, including doxycycline, diclofenac, and amiodarone, are being warned to take extra care as the UK experiences a heatwave with temperatures forecast to reach 35C, and up to 38C on Thursday.
Rare amber “extreme heat” warnings have been issued for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday. The Government urged the public to pay attention to UK Health Security Agency heat health alerts, and advised people should drink plenty of fluids and check in on family, friends and neighbours who may be at high risk.
Medications That Increase Sun Sensitivity
Medical experts have highlighted a number of medications that can have nasty side effects if the skin is exposed to the blazing sun for too long. Writing on The Conversation website, Nial Wheate, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, Elise Schubert, Pharmacist, and Lisa Kouladjian O’Donnell, Research Fellow in Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, explained: “There are many medicines that can affect your skin and make you more sensitive to the sun, so it’s important to know which ones to look out for.”
Antibiotics, including doxycycline, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and sulfamethoxazole, are known to cause sun sensitivity. The paper states: “The first are the antibiotics. Tetracycline-based drugs are particularly known to cause sensitivity. An example is the drug doxycycline which is used to treat infections, acne, and as a malaria prophylactic (or prevention) for those who are going to a tropical location (lots of sun). Other antibiotics known to cause sun sensitivity are fluoroquinolones, like ciprofloxacin, and sulfamethoxazole, which treat a broad range of illnesses such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia or gastroenteritis.”
Other Medications to Watch
The antifungals griseofulvin and voriconazole are known to cause sun sensitivity. People may be taking these medicines for skin or nail fungal infections. For people who suffer from skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, or eczema, the oral retinoid medications including acitretin and isotretinoin and the topical cream pimecrolimus will leave you sensitive to the sun.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like diclofenac, can leave you sun sensitive, especially if applied on the skin, so you need to be sure you adequately protect those areas. The same applies for some opioid-based pain patches, like fentanyl. When you remove the patch, the skin underneath will be sensitive to the sun.
Amiodarone, used to treat irregular heart beats, and azathioprine, an immuno suppressing drug used for people who have inflammatory immune conditions or organ transplants, are both known to cause sun sensitivity. Finally, a large number of drugs used in cancer chemotherapy will sensitise your skin, including 5-fluorouracil, 5-aminolevulinic acid, vemurafenib, imatinib, mercaptopurine, and methotrexate.
Precautions and Advice
The paper said it is important to note that not all people who use one of these medicines will have a sun sensitivity reaction – but extra precautions should be taken. Remember the five S advice from the Cancer Council: slip on suitable clothing, slop on sunscreen that is rated SPF30 or higher to exposed skin, especially on your face and arms, slap on a hat, seek shade when you can, and slide on sunglasses.
The scientists added: “And if you are concerned a medicine you are taking may be putting you at more risk of sunburn, speak to your pharmacist. They can confirm if your medicine does increase your risk of sunburn and discuss options. This could include having your doctor issue a prescription for a different drug. Never just stop taking a medicine because you are concerned about the risk of sun damage or any other side effects; always discuss it first with your health care provider.”
