H1 antihistamines and driving.
Driving performances depend on cognitive, psychomotor and perception functions. The CNS adverse effects of some H1 antihistamines can alter the patient ability to drive. Data from studies using standardized objective cognitive and psychomotor tests (Choice Reaction Time, Critical Flicker Fusion. Digital Symbol Substitution Test), functional brain imaging (Positron Emission Tomography, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), neurophysiological studies (Multiple Sleep Latency Test, auditory and visual evoked potentials), experimental simulated driving (driving simulators) and real driving studies (the Highway Driving Test, with the evaluation of the Standard Deviation Lateral Position, and the Car Following Test, with the measurement of the Brake Reaction Time) must be discussed in order to classify a H1 antihistamine as a true non-sedating one.
Popescu
Florin Dan
FD
Allergology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila" Bucharest, Romania.
D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D039563:Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating