What you need to know about diabetes and hot weatherKSDK – For people living with diabetes, hot weather can lead to serious health problems. Dr. John Kirby of Barnes-Jewish Hospital says the heat – combined with summer behavior – sometimes leads to emergency room visits or hospitalizations. "People tend to be more active, their eating habits different from their usual routine," he said. "Because they're out and about, they're perspiring more. Their own body temperature is going up." Drinking water is key during the summer heat, as well as protecting diabetes medication and supplies. Amy Tiemeier is an instructor at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She says excessive heat can harm the effectiveness of diabetes medications. "The heat can really change the properties of that insulin, so that it really won't work for you," she said. "But it can also affect any pill that you're taking for your diabetes as well. "Tiemeier says if diabetics know they're going to be outdoors in a car, you may want to keep a cooler handy for medication and testing equipment. "So you wouldn't want to leave your testing strips or your device in the car," she said. "Same thing if you're at the beach or something like that. "Video Link: http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/2014/05/27/hot-weather-diabetes-health-tips/9650365/