Meds up hospitalization for dehydration, heat-linked illness

July 25, 2016

(HealthDay)—Among veterans, initiation of many commonly-used medications is associated with increased risk of hospitalization for dehydration or heat-related illness, according to research published online July 4 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.

Lisa M. Kalisch Ellett, Ph.D., from the University of South Australia in Adelaide, and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis using prescription event symmetry analysis for 6,700 veterans with incident hospital admission for dehydration or heat-related illness.

The researchers found that the risk of incident hospital admission for dehydration or heat-related illness was significantly increased following initiation of anticoagulants, cardiovascular medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anticholinergic agents. There was variation in the risk of hospital admission for dehydration or heat-related illness from 1.17 for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor to 2.79 for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor plus diuretic combination product. Initiation of anticonvulsants, anti-Parkinson's agents, hypnotics, anxiolytics, or antihistamines was not significantly associated with hospital admission for dehydration or heat-related illness.

"Many commonly used medicines were found to be associated with increased risk of hospitalization for dehydration or heat-related illness," the authors write. "Prescribers and patients should be aware of the potential for medicines to be associated with increased risk of dehydration and heat-related illness."

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-07-meds-hospitalization-dehydration-heat-linked-illness.html