UCLA Fielding School of Public Health experts answer questions on extreme heat

Dr. David Eisenman and Dr. Kirsten Schwarz, both professors at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, study the public health impacts of extreme heat. They are co-authors of research studying how to provide efficient cooling and visibility in public spaces, especially during extreme heat events.

Schwarz, an ecologist and assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, has worked extensively on research into the benefits of shade in urban environments and the impact of heat and wildfires on cities, including soil contamination and air quality.

Eisenman, a physician and professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences, studies extreme heat as a public health threat. He also serves as a professor in residence at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, as director of the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters and co-director of the UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions.

Q: "Could your medicine cabinet make you more vulnerable to the sun? Which common prescriptions and OTC medications interfere with how our bodies handle extreme heat?”

Eisenman: "Antihypertensives and diuretics are some of the most common prescription medications to cause problems when it extremely hot; also, antipsychotics and SSRIs, which are used frequently for depression and anxiety, can affect one's ability to regulate extreme heat. Don’t forget that alcohol impairs thirst which is a problem in extreme heat. Also over the counter medications that people have in their medicine cabinet, like Benadryl, can impair sweating. Advil and Motrin can cause acute kidney injury in the setting of dehyrdration from heat, particularly in older adults and patients. It’s also important to know that some medications lose their efficacy, or the delivery devices may malfunction - don’t leave medicines in the car, the mailbox, or similar places. Medications where this is relevant include intramuscular epinephrine and inhaled asthma devices; both of them may deliver lower doses or the delivery mechanism may fail if they get exposed to heat."

Q: "When an extreme heat warning hits Los Angeles, what specific local challenges and hazards should Angelenos be looking out for?"

Schwarz: "Due to our coastal climate, air conditioning is not as ubiquitous in Los Angeles compared to other areas. Some communities also have very little tree cover to provide natural shade and cooling. As a result, we’re often unprepared for long stretches of extreme heat. It’s a time for Angelenos to be looking out for one another, especially those that are made more vulnerable to heat through a lack of housing and resources." 

Q: "If you could only share three things, what are the absolute most effective ways people can prepare for a heatwave and prevent heat-related illness?”

Schwarz: "Hydrate. If possible, limit outdoor activity in the heat of the afternoon and seek out air-conditioned spaces. Keep in mind that not everyone experiences heat in the same way. For example, older folks are more likely to experience a heat-related illness. Check in on your neighbors, especially those that may be isolated – this is a time when sticking together can save lives."

Q: What are the risks of extreme heat?

Eisenman: “On any day with extreme heat, emergency rooms in Los Angeles see an additional 1,500 patients. We estimate that an additional 16 people die on a single day of heat in Los Angeles County.”