Millions of Metformin drug users issued serious four day warning
Experts have issued a warning to anyone who takes the drug metformin.
The drug is prescribed to around 120 million people around the world, and is mostly used to treat Type 2 Diabetes, as well as being prescribed as a preventative measure for the condition, as it helps the body to process blood sugar when insulin is low.
Metformin is also prescribed to people who are struggling with their fertility due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
But now a warning has been issued to people in the UK who use the medication ahead of predictions about the weather.
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This is because the UK has been forecast to experience a heatwave over the coming days.
Like a number of medications, metformin can make patients using it more susceptible to the effects of extreme heat.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning, beginning on June 22 and running through until June 25 covering the South of England and parts of Wales.
In the warning, the office warned that people who are 'vulnerable' to heat should take extra precautions to mitigate the effects of the heat.
Metformin is one of a few common medications which can increase vulnerability to extreme heat, with another also being beta blockers, which are taken by millions across the UK.
Studies have indicated that metformin can increase the risk of dehydration, as well as making earlier signs more difficult to spot.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency told The Mirror: “Blood pressure medicines such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, or calcium channel blockers can also make it harder for your body to regulate temperature, especially during sudden hot spells.”
Some mental health medications, most notably selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, such as sertraline, citalopram, and fluoxetine, all of which are commonly prescribed for mental health conditions, can also increase vulnerability to heat.
UK officials have warned the forecast heatwave could have a 'widespread impact'.
In the warning, they also add: “The wider population are likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion and other heat related illnesses.”
According to the Met Office, parts of the UK are set to move into the high 20s over the coming days, with London at 28C, Birmingham at 29C, and Liverpool at 29C, though with some cloud over.
Meanwhile, Cardiff is predicted to tip over into the 30s, reaching 31C, and with a warning put in place.
Kit Roberts