title: Impact of sedating antihistamines on safety and productivity.
abstract: The use of sedating antihistamines by allergy sufferers remains common, and physicians continue to prescribe these older antihistamines with great frequency. Precautionary statements warning of possible drowsiness and the need for caution when driving or operating machinery, which are required for sedating antihistamines, don't appear to be having much impact. Sedating antihistamines are frequently found to be a causal factor in fatal traffic accidents and are the leading medication found on autopsy of pilots who have crashed their aircraft. Patients taking sedating antihistamines frequently don't feel sleepy, yet they have difficulty staying awake and their brain functioning is impaired. The impact on safety is found in the increased risk of traumatic work-related injuries, driving accidents, and aviation fatalities. The cognitive and psychomotor deficits translate into losses in worker productivity and student learning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Quig
mesh_terms: D004526:Efficiency / Q000187:drug effects*; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists