How many types of antihistamines are there and how should you choose one?

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Nowadays, Thai people are more likely to have allergies. Whether they are allergic to the air or to various pollutants such as dust, smoke, etc. Allergies are common diseases from childhood to the elderly.  In young children, allergic symptoms such as cow’s milk allergy or skin diseases are common.  In older children or adults, allergic symptoms such as air allergies, conjunctivitis, asthma, or seafood allergies are common.

How many types of antihistamines are there and how should you choose one?

The increasing incidence of respiratory allergies due to lifestyle changes and changes in the weather around. Us is a factor that has led to an increase in the incidence of allergic diseases today.  When the body is exposed to foreign substances. Allergic symptoms occur because the allergen stimulates cells to release histamines.

Histamine is a substance found in cells throughout the body, including the nervous system, digestive tract, and immune system.  When histamine is released. It causes itching, red rashes on the skin, and may cause bronchospasm and difficulty breathing in the respiratory tract. If it acts on the digestive tract. It can cause stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Antihistamines

It has properties to relieve runny nose, sneezing due to colds. Relieve itching from various causes. Reduce secretions and relieve itching by acting as an antihistamine to inhibit the effects of histamine. Which results in reduced mucus secretion and allergies, itching.

Antihistamines are divided into two groups: the first group is the classic antihistamines or drowsiness-inducing antihistamines.

It is a first-generation antihistamine. An example of this class of drugs is chlorpheniramine. A small yellow pill that is an antihistamine that is very effective in reducing runny nose and is inexpensive.

Dimenhydrinate, hydroxyzine, triprolidine, brompheniramine, ketotifen, and oxatomide. These medications can be used to treat symptoms of allergic rhinitis that include itching, sneezing, and runny nose. They can also relieve symptoms of motion sickness.

Caution!  When using traditional antihistamines

  • Drugs in this group can pass into the brain and affect the nervous system, causing drowsiness in the user.  Therefore, caution should be exercised when using them in people who work on machinery or drive.
  • Do not use with sedatives, sleeping pills, or alcoholic beverages.
  • Use with caution in young children  as it may cause sleep apnea.
  • Drugs in this class may worsen symptoms of abnormal intraocular pressure and urinary retention.
  • Sometimes, the use of this drug in children, the elderly, or those who have taken high doses of the drug may cause restlessness,  inability to stay still, and insomnia.
  • Caution should be exercised in patients with certain diseases,  such as high intraocular pressure, certain types of glaucoma, and enlarged prostate.
  • Be careful when using drugs in pregnant and breastfeeding women  because drugs can be excreted in breast milk and some drugs can cause abnormalities in the baby during birth. Therefore, pregnant women who want to use drugs should consult a doctor or pharmacist every time. Do not buy drugs to take by yourself.
  • Other side effects  include dry nose, dry mouth, dry throat, blurred vision, gastrointestinal discomfort, urinary retention,ufabet https://ufabet999.app and weight gain.

The second group of drugs is non-edating antihistamines.

These drugs act in the same way as the traditional antihistamines. But they pass very little into the brain and therefore cause less drowsiness.  Examples include loratadine, cetirizine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine, desloratadine.

This class of antihistamines can be used to treat allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, seasonal allergic rhinitis, reduce sneezing, itchy nose, itchy eyes, drowsiness, swelling of the mucous membranes and skin, and hives.

Drowsiness, dry nose, dry mouth, dry throat, and blurred vision were less common in the first group. Which was the original group.

Caution!  When using non-drowsy antihistamines

  • In those taking other medications, please inform your doctor or pharmacist  as drug interactions may occur when taken with certain antibiotics.
  • Use with caution in patients with liver disease, kidney disease, and those with a history of abnormal heart rhythms,  as the dosage may need to be reduced.
  • Be careful when using this medicine in pregnant and breastfeeding women  because there is still little information and some medicines may cause abnormalities in the baby during birth. Therefore, pregnant women who want to use this medicine should consult a doctor or pharmacist every time.

Antihistamines are symptomatic rather than solving the cause  . Therefore, if you know the cause of your allergy and can avoid it, you can treat the symptoms and reduce them by choosing the right antihistamines. Because all medications have side effects.

The side effect of traditional antihistamines is sedative effect causing drowsiness. Therefore, it is dangerous to take this drug while driving or operating machinery because the accuracy of the nerves controlling body movement is reduced, causing drowsiness. It may cause sticky sputum, so it should not be used in people with asthma or coughing with sputum. It should not be used to treat cold symptoms in children under 2 weeks old because it may cause sticky sputum that is difficult to expel.

Therefore, the best way to relieve allergy symptoms is to avoid the things you are allergic to, exercise regularly, choose to eat healthy foods, get enough rest,  and use the right amount of medication as needed. Consult a doctor or pharmacist when you need to use medication to choose a medication with fewer side effects.

Antihistamines or antihistamines are easily available drugs. Most people do not know the difference between antihistamines and antihistamines, so they often choose non-drowsy antihistamines to relieve sneezing, itchy nose, and runny nose. From the above information, both groups of antihistamines are used to relieve allergic symptoms caused by histamine secretion in a similar way.

Symptoms caused by histamine secretion include sneezing, itchy nose, itchy eyes, waking up, swelling and redness of the mucous membranes and skin. As for drowsiness, dry nose, dry mouth, dry throat, blurred vision, they are found more in the first group of antihistamines that cause drowsiness than the second group that does not cause drowsiness. Each group of antihistamines has different precautions and prohibitions.  For safety, you should always consult a doctor or pharmacist.

However, the best way to treat an allergic reaction is to notice when the allergic reaction occurs when touching or eating something. Once you know, you should avoid the allergen.