MEDICAL PROBLEMS RISE AS TEMPERATURES DO

Summer heat can complicate certain medical conditions. When it is hot out, people who suffer from chronic diseases, such as diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease, should avoid strenuous outdoor activity and stay hydrated.

If you take prescription medication, ask your doctor about possible complications from high temperatures and sun exposure. Tricyclic antidepressants, major tranquillizers, some drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease, amphetamines, and antihistamines increase the risk of heat illness.

• Get more information about heat illness from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• Download Ready New York's Beat the Heat guide
• Read the Tip of the Week online