Heat also can harm the effectiveness of diabetes medications and supplies. "Oral medications as well as insulin have a therapeutic temperature range above which they lose efficacy," Nassar said. The drug's package insert includes information about proper temperatures for storage.

Although 73 percent of respondents had received information about the harmful effect of heat on insulin, fewer knew about the adverse effects of heat on their oral diabetes medications (39 percent) and on glucose meters (41 percent) and glucose test strips (38 percent).

Even when survey respondents knew that they should protect their diabetes medications and glucose-testing supplies from heat, an alarming proportion ”37 percent ”chose to leave them at home rather than risk heat exposure.

"If they are unable to check their blood sugars while they are away from home, that's unsafe," Nassar said.

"Increasingly more people with diabetes are living in places characterized by hot weather. Patient education focusing on diabetes management in hot climates is needed," she said.

SOURCE Mayo Clinic