UK health agency warns ACE inhibitor and beta‑blocker users during heatwave

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) re‑issued guidance on 26 June after a record‑breaking UK heatwave that reached 37.7 °C. The agency cautioned that medicines such as ACE inhibitors (e.g., Ramipril) and beta‑blockers (e.g., Bisoprolol) can lose effectiveness when stored above 25 °C and may increase the risk of sunburn, dizziness or dehydration, especially for people with asthma, heart disease or diabetes.

Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the MHRA, warned that many people keep medicines in cars, bags or on sunny windowsills, where heat can break down active ingredients. With temperatures expected to exceed 30 °C again, the agency urged the public to keep these drugs in cool, shaded places and to follow storage instructions to ensure they work when needed.