The Hidden Dangers of Antihistamine Misuse
Many people rely on allergy medication to manage symptoms, especially during the Fall and Spring seasons. When leaves fall, plants flower, and temperatures shift rapidly, our environments fill with allergens. Consequently, we reach for relief. However, a concerning trend has emerged regarding taking an antihistamine with certain drugs.
Misuse of these common medications is on the rise. Documented cases primarily involve adolescents and young adults across the country. While some misuse is unintentional, other cases are deliberate.
What Are Antihistamines?
The NIH (2022) defines an antihistamine as a type of drug that blocks the action of histamines. Histamines can cause fever, itching, sneezing, a runny nose, and watery eyes. Furthermore, doctors use these drugs to prevent fevers in patients receiving blood transfusions and to treat coughs and colds.
If you want to learn more about how your body reacts to these triggers, read our guide on Understanding Allergies: How Your Immune System Fights Them.
The Risks of Taking an Antihistamine with Certain Drugs
Recent reports indicate that we need more study on overdose deaths involving allergy medications. Dinwiddie and associates (October 14, 2022) highlight that various antihistamine subtypes can cause anticholinergic effects. These include strong sedation, which worsens when patients use them alongside other sedative drugs, such as opioids.
Therefore, caution is vital. If you are managing respiratory issues, you might also explore natural alternatives like 5 Herbs That Boost Lung Health to potentially reduce your reliance on heavy medication.
Limitations in Current Data
Dinwiddie and his team note limitations in their findings. They surveyed 44 jurisdictions, which might not represent the entire nation. Additionally, drug testing methods vary across jurisdictions. This lack of standardization could limit how we interpret the results.
Despite these limitations, the data on misuse reveals a critical need for continued surveillance. We must understand which drugs and drug combinations contribute most to overdose deaths. To do this, the CDC analyzed 2019–2020 data from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) in 43 states and the District of Columbia.
Recent Findings on Overdose Deaths
Just recently, George (October 13, 2022) reported on this data. The findings are stark: antihistamines were involved in at least 15% of recent overdose deaths. Specifically, out of 92,033 overdose deaths, 14.7% were positive for these allergy medications, and 3.6% listed them as a contributing cause.
Researchers defined a death as “antihistamine-positive” if a toxicology test detected the drug. Conversely, they defined it as “antihistamine-involved” if the death certificate listed the drug as a cause of death. The report breaks down this descriptive data by sex, age, race, and ethnicity.
Benadryl and Opioid Interactions
Researchers at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in Atlanta provided further specifics. They report that Benadryl (diphenhydramine) appeared most frequently in these deaths. In fact, it accounted for 71.1% of positive fatalities and 66.5% of involved deaths.
Although Benadryl is a common, over-the-counter medication, you must apply extreme caution when using it with opioids. All medicines have side effects, and taking an antihistamine with certain drugs can amplify dangerous outcomes.
References:
Dinwiddie AT, Tanz LJ, Bitting J. (October 14, 2022). Notes from the Field: Antihistamine Positivity and Involvement in Drug Overdose Deaths — 44 Jurisdictions, United States, 2019–2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:1308–1310. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7141a4
George, J. (October 13, 2022). Allergy Meds May Make Drug Overdoses More Dangerous, CDC Says.
NIH. (2022). Antihistamine. Definition of antihistamine – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms – NCI
#AntihistamineSafety #DrugInteractions #HealthTips
