Antihistamine drugs

Zyrtec Generic name: se-TIR-a-zeen] Drug class: Medically reviewed by • • • • • • • What is Zyrtec? Zyrtec is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and Zyrtec is used in adults and children to treat cold or allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, watery eyes, or runny nose. Zyrtec is also used to treat itching and swelling caused by Warnings Before using Zyrtec tell your doctor about all your medical conditions or Zyrtec may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of cetirizine. Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as other cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by Zyrtec. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, if they get worse, or if you also have a fever. Before taking this medicine You should not use Zyrtec if you are allergic to cetirizine or Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take cetirizine if you have any medical conditions. Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. (more detail) How should I use Zyrtec? Zyrtec is taken by mouth. Use Zyrtec exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doct...

Antihistamines are a class of drugs commonly used to treat symptoms of What are allergies? Your body protects you from many threats. Your ribs protect your heart and lungs from injury. Your skin protects your body from outside elements like sun, wind and bacteria that can cause disease and infections. Your eyelashes protect your eyes from debris. And your body’s internal protection system – your immune system – battles substances that enter your body that are deemed “foreign.” An allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to the “foreign” substance. In the case of an allergy, substances that are usually harmless and don’t bother some people, such as dust or animal dander, do bother you! Your body views these substances as “foreign,” which then triggers an overreaction by your body’s defense system that includes the release of histamine. The substances that trigger the overreaction are called allergens. The symptoms that result are called an allergic reaction. Allergies are one of the most common chronic conditions in the world. Some 40 million to 50 million people in the United States have them. What is histamine? What are some of the substances, or allergens, that cause allergies? The top eight most common things that can cause an allergic reaction in some people include: • Food. • Dust. • Pollen. • Pet dander, saliva or urine. • Mold. • Insect bites and stings. • Latex. • Certain medications/drugs. What allergic symptoms do histamines cause? Too much histamine, ca...

Loratadine Generic name: loratadine [ lor-AT-a-deen] Brand names: Dosage forms: oral capsule (10 mg), oral syrup (5 mg/5 mL), oral tablet (10 mg), oral tablet, chewable (5 mg), oral tablet, disintegrating (10 mg; 5 mg) Drug class: Medically reviewed by • • • • • • • What is loratadine? Loratadine is used to treat sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, Loratadine is also used to treat skin hives and itching in people with chronic skin reactions Warnings You should not take this medication if you are allergic to loratadine or to desloratadine (Clarinex). Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use. Some chewable dosage forms of loratadine may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using these forms of loratadine if you have phenylketonuria (PKU). Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if you have liver or kidney disease. Related/similar drugs Before taking this medicine Ask a doctor or pharmacist if loratadine is safe to use if you have ever had: • kidney disease; or • liver disease. The disintegrating tablet may contain phenylalanine and could be harmful if you have Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not give this medicine to a child younger than 2 years old without medical advice. (more detail) How should I take loratadine? Use loratadine exactly as directed on the...

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Allergy medication list How They Work: Antihistamines used to treat allergy symptoms fall into two broad categories: sedating and non-sedating. The first category includes the older All antihistamines work in the same way: by competing with histamine to prevent or reduce the characteristic signs and symptoms of an In addition to Other types of allergy drugs include: Corticosteroids: These come as nasal sprays, Mast cell stabilizers: These can help prevent allergic reactions from happening when taken regularly. During an allergic reaction, mast cells release histamine and other substances. Leukotriene inhibitors: Other substances released during an allergic reaction are leukotrienes, which can aggravate allergic conditions and Nasal anticholinergics: A runny Decongestants: These relieve a stuffy nose by constricting blood vessels, which limits the amount of secretions coming from the inner lining of the nose. They are available as nasal sprays, pills, and liquids. They don't relieve other allergy symptoms such as itching and sneezing. Immunomodulators: These are topical medications used to treat skin allergies. They are often used if other agents are ineffective or intolerable. Autoinjectable epinephrine: This is used to treat a life-threatening allergic reaction known as Over-the-counter allergy medications Antihistamines (sedating) • Brompheniramine ( • • Antihistamines (non-sedating) • • Clemastine (Tavist) • • Loratadine ( Eye Drops: Antihistamine • Antazoline/ • Ketoti...

Antihistamines are a class of drugs that help to treat the symptoms of various allergies. The main difference between first-generation and second-generation What Are Antihistamines Used For? Antihistamines are medications that block chemicals in the body called histamines. Histamines are the chemical that gets released after you are exposed to something you are allergic to. They cause the symptoms of an allergic reaction, like: • Itchiness • Hives • • Itchy eyes • Sneezing • Insomnia • Nausea • Vomiting • Fatigue There are two different types of histamines: H-1 receptor antagonists and H-2 receptor antagonists. Typically, antihistamines that treat H-2 receptor antagonists treat gastrointestinal symptoms. Both first-generation and second-generation antihistamines treat H-1 receptor antagonists. H-1 receptor antagonists treat: • Colds • Food allergies • Hives • Hay fever • Insect bites • What Are First-Generation Antihistamines? First-generation antihistamines became available for general use in 1942 and are still used today. These antihistamines work by affecting the histamine receptors in the brain and spinal cord. One of their defining characteristics, though, is that they go through the blood-brain barrier and can cause sleepiness. Some examples of first-generation antihistamines include: • These antihistamines start to take effect in about 30 to 60 minutes and last for four to six hours. The most popular first-generation antihistamine is chlorpheniramine, especially for...

Overview Have you ever walked into your local drug store just to grab an allergy medicine and became instantly overwhelmed with all the choices in front of you? In this guide, we will hopefully simplify your options and give you a better idea of just what medication is the best choice for you. What Is Histamine? ​Histamine plays a central role in the allergic response and it's main purpose is not to simply cause the symptoms we hate so much (although it feels like that sometimes!). It's effects on the blood vessels in our body and in our airways is what usually causes the most grief. Histamine also has a major role in the release of stomach acid and the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. There are numerous histamine receptors, but this article will focus on H1 receptors. All the antihistamine medications that are indicated for allergies are H1 antagonists or simply "antihistamines". When released, histamine causes some of the following effects: • Vasodilation (dilating the blood vessels) - This is what causes a majority of the nasal symptoms you experience, most commonly that congested nose. • Cardiac effects - Something we are not usually as aware of when our allergies hit us, but histamine influences both how hard our heart contracts and how fast it pumps. • Contraction of Smooth Muscle - Smooth muscle is found everywhere in the body including in our airways. This causes the symptoms of wheezing and coughing. • Itching - Histamine release also causes itching and ...

Benadryl Generic name: DYE-fen-HYE-dra-meen] Drug classes: Medically reviewed by • • • • • • • What is Benadryl? Benadryl is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose. Benadryl is used to treat sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, itching, and other cold or Benadryl is also used to treat motion sickness, to induce sleep, and to treat certain symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Warnings You should not use Benadryl to make a child sleepy. When taking Benadryl, use caution driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Diphenhydramine may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities. Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while taking Benadryl. Do not give this medication to a child younger than 2 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Before taking this medicine You should not use Benadryl if you are allergic to diphenhydramine. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have other medical conditions, especially: • blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines); • bladder obstruction or other urination problems; • a colostomy or ileostomy; • liver or kidney disease;...

Zyrtec Generic name: se-TIR-a-zeen] Drug class: Medically reviewed by • • • • • • • What is Zyrtec? Zyrtec is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and Zyrtec is used in adults and children to treat cold or allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, watery eyes, or runny nose. Zyrtec is also used to treat itching and swelling caused by Warnings Before using Zyrtec tell your doctor about all your medical conditions or Zyrtec may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of cetirizine. Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as other cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by Zyrtec. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, if they get worse, or if you also have a fever. Before taking this medicine You should not use Zyrtec if you are allergic to cetirizine or Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take cetirizine if you have any medical conditions. Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. (more detail) How should I use Zyrtec? Zyrtec is taken by mouth. Use Zyrtec exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doct...

Antihistamines are a class of drugs commonly used to treat symptoms of What are allergies? Your body protects you from many threats. Your ribs protect your heart and lungs from injury. Your skin protects your body from outside elements like sun, wind and bacteria that can cause disease and infections. Your eyelashes protect your eyes from debris. And your body’s internal protection system – your immune system – battles substances that enter your body that are deemed “foreign.” An allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to the “foreign” substance. In the case of an allergy, substances that are usually harmless and don’t bother some people, such as dust or animal dander, do bother you! Your body views these substances as “foreign,” which then triggers an overreaction by your body’s defense system that includes the release of histamine. The substances that trigger the overreaction are called allergens. The symptoms that result are called an allergic reaction. Allergies are one of the most common chronic conditions in the world. Some 40 million to 50 million people in the United States have them. What is histamine? What are some of the substances, or allergens, that cause allergies? The top eight most common things that can cause an allergic reaction in some people include: • Food. • Dust. • Pollen. • Pet dander, saliva or urine. • Mold. • Insect bites and stings. • Latex. • Certain medications/drugs. What allergic symptoms do histamines cause? Too much histamine, ca...