Treatment of allergic rhinitis: effects of allergic rhinitis and antihistamines on performance.
Antihistamines are the most commonly used drugs for allergic rhinitis, and many antihistamines may cause subclinical side effects which are not noticeable by the patient. These include impaired driving performance, impaired work performance, reduced coordination, reduced motor skills, sleepiness and impaired information processing (arithmetic, verbal, and office skills). The newer nonsedating antihistamines should be used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis because they do not produce these effects. Recent studies have shown that children's learning in school may also be negatively affected by traditional antihistamines, and therefore, school children should definitely be given the nonsedating antihistamines. Not only does the treatment cause some impaired performance, but allergic rhinitis itself may result in changes in the patient's mood affect, and other aspects of personality. Physicians who treat allergic rhinitis should be aware of the potential performance effects of medications that they prescribe and the potential effects of the disease itself on the patient's personality.
Storms
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Ashthma & Allergy Associates, P.C. and Research Center, Colorado Springs 80907, USA.
D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014937:Work
D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists