ANTIHISTAMINE TOXICITY

Course overview

IN 1943, AS THE PLANET WAS ENGULFED IN WWII AND THE UNITED STATES WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCING THE END OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, THE MOST COMMON MODERN ANTIHISTAMINE, DIPHENHYDRAMINE, WAS FIRST SYNTHESIZED. SHORTLY AFTER, IN 1947, ORPHENADRINE WAS SYNTHESIZED AND USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF PARKINSON DISEASE. WITH THE TURN OF THE DECADE, ANTIHISTAMINE USE BECAME MORE PREVALENT, AND PEDIATRIC DEATHS INCREASED. A COMPARISON TO ATROPINE POISONING AND THE SIMILAR PHARMACOLOGIC PROPERTIES BETWEEN ATROPINE AND ANTIHISTAMINES WAS SOON REALIZED. THE SPECIFIC CONCERN OF ANTIHISTAMINE TOXICITY IS NOT DUE TO THEIR COMPETITIVE H1-RECEPTOR BINDING AND SEDATION BUT DUE TO THEIR ANTICHOLINERGIC EFFECT. TOXIC EXPOSURE CAUSES VARYING DEGREES OF SYMPTOMS WITH DIFFERING IMPLICATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES ANTIHISTAMINE TOXICITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.