Q. I have taken simvastatin for many years and over the last year or so I have developed extreme intolerance to heat. My face gets flushed beet red, to the dismay of my companions who wonder if they should treat me for heat stroke. Can simvastatin cause this reaction? Or is something else going on?
P. S. The only other medication I take is Detrol.
A. We could find no link between the cholesterol-lowering drug simvasatin (Zocor) and heat intolerance. Detrol, on the other hand, could be the culprit behind your problem.
Detrol and other bladder medicines are considered anticholinergic drugs. Medications such as Detrol, Ditropan, Enablex and VESIcare can cause symptoms such as dry mouth and constipation. They also reduce the body’s ability to sweat. That makes people vulnerable to overheating because the evaporation of perspiration is a crucial means of cooling off.
Be very careful to avoid situations where you might become overheated. Heat stroke is a dangerous complication!
