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- $Unique_ID{BRK03133}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{diphenhydramine}
- $Subject{AllerMax Pfeiffer Belix Halsey Benadryl Parke-Davis Kapseals Benylin
- Cough Syrup Bydramine Major Compoz Jeffrey Martin Diphen My-K Lab
- hydrochloride Dormarex 2 Republic Hydramine Goldline Nervine Nighttime Sleep
- Aid Miles Nordryl Vortech Nytol Block Sleep-Eze 3 Whitehall Sominex 2 Beecham
- Tusstat Century Twilite Pfeiffer Unisom Nighttime Leeming Antihistamine
- sedative/hypnotic diphenhydramine histamine allergic reaction allergy motion
- sickness Parkinson's disease nonnarcotic cough suppressant}
- $Volume{}
- $Log{
- Benadryl*0313301.scf}
- Benadryl Kapseals*0313302.scf}
-
- Copyright (C) 1993 Publications International, Ltd.
-
-
- diphenhydramine
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- BRAND NAMES (Manufacturers)
-
- AllerMax (Pfeiffer)
- Belix [*] (Halsey)
- Benadryl [*] (Parke-Davis)
- Benadryl Kapseals (Parke-Davis)
- Benylin Cough Syrup [*] (Parke-Davis)
- Bydramine Cough Syrup [*] (Major)
- Compoz [*] (Jeffrey Martin)
- Diphen Cough Syrup [*] (My-K Lab)
- diphenhydramine hydrochloride (various manufacturers)
- Dormarex 2 [*] (Republic)
- Hydramine [*] (Goldline)
- Nervine Nighttime Sleep Aid [*] (Miles)
- Nordryl (Vortech)
- Nytol [*] (Block)
- Sleep-Eze 3 [*] (Whitehall)
- Sominex 2 [*] (Beecham)
- Tusstat (Century)
- Twilite [*] (Pfeiffer)
- Unisom Nighttime Sleep Aid (Leeming)
- * Available over-the-counter (without a prescription)
-
- TYPE OF DRUG
-
- Antihistamine and sedative/hypnotic
-
- INGREDIENT
-
- diphenhydramine
-
- DOSAGE FORMS
-
- Tablets (50 mg)
- Capsules (25 mg and 50 mg)
- Elixir (12.5 mg per 5-ml spoonful, with 14% alcohol)
- Oral syrup (12.5 mg per 5-ml spoonful, with 5% alcohol)
-
- STORAGE
-
- Store at room temperature in a tightly closed container.
-
- USES
-
- Diphenhydramine belongs to a group of drugs known as antihistamines
- (antihistamines block the action of histamine, a chemical that is released by
- the body during an allergic reaction). It is, therefore, used to treat or
- prevent symptoms of allergy. It is also used to treat motion sickness and
- Parkinson's disease, and it is used as a nighttime sleeping aid and
- nonnarcotic cough suppressant.
-
- TREATMENT
-
- To avoid stomach upset, take diphenhydramine with food, milk, or water
- (unless your doctor directs you otherwise).
- The elixir and oral syrup forms of this medication should be measured
- carefully with a specially designed 5-ml measuring spoon. An ordinary
- teaspoon is not accurate enough.
- If you miss a dose of this medication, take the missed dose as soon as
- possible, unless it is almost time for your next dose. In that case, do not
- take the missed dose at all; just return to your regular dosing schedule. Do
- not double the next dose.
-
- SIDE EFFECTS
-
- Minor.
-
- Blurred vision; confusion; constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; dry mouth,
- throat, or nose; headache; irritability; loss of appetite; nausea;
- restlessness; stomach upset; or unusual increase in sweating. These side
- effects should disappear as your body adjusts to the medication.
- This medication can cause increased sensitivity to sunlight. It is,
- therefore, important to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight and sunlamps.
- Wear protective clothing, and use an effective sunscreen.
- If you are constipated, increase the amount of fiber in your diet (fresh
- fruits and vegetables, salads, bran, and whole-grain breads), exercise, and
- drink more water (unless your doctor tells you not to do so).
- To reduce mouth dryness, chew sugarless gum or suck on ice chips or a
- piece of hard candy.
- If you feel dizzy or light-headed, sit or lie down for a while; get up
- slowly from a sitting or reclining position, and be careful on stairs.
-
- Major.
-
- Tell your doctor about any side effects that are persistent or
- particularly bothersome. IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about
- changes in menstruation, clumsiness, difficult or painful urination, feeling
- faint, flushing of the face, hallucinations, palpitations, ringing or buzzing
- in the ears, rash, seizures, shortness of breath, sleeping disorders, sore
- throat or fever, tightness in the chest, unusual bleeding or bruising, or
- unusual tiredness or weakness.
-
- INTERACTIONS
-
- Diphenhydramine interacts with several other types of medications:
- 1. Concurrent use of it with other central nervous system depressants
- (such as alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepine tranquilizers, muscle
- relaxants, narcotics, pain medications, and phenothiazine tranquilizers) or
- with tricyclic antidepressants can cause extreme drowsiness.
- 2. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (isocarboxazid, pargyline,
- phenelzine, and tranylcypromine) can increase the side effects of this
- medication. At least 14 days should separate the use of this drug and the use
- of an MAO inhibitor.
- 3. Diphenhydramine can also interfere with the activity of oral
- anticoagulants (blood thinners, such as warfarin) and decrease their
- effectiveness.
- BE SURE TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about any medications you are currently
- taking, especially any of those listed above.
-
- WARNINGS
-
- * Be sure to tell your doctor about unusual or allergic reactions you
- have had to any medications, especially to diphenhydramine or to any other
- antihistamine (such as astemizole, azatadine, brompheniramine, carbinoxamine,
- chlorpheniramine, clemastine, cyproheptadine, dexchlorpheniramine,
- dimenhydrinate, dimethindene, diphenylpyraline, doxylamine, hydroxyzine,
- phenidamine, promethazine, pyrilamine, terfenadine, trimeprazine,
- tripelennamine, and triprolidine).
- * Tell your doctor if you now have or if you have ever had asthma, blood
- vessel disease, glaucoma, high blood pressure, kidney disease, peptic ulcers,
- enlarged prostate gland, or thyroid disease.
- * Diphenhydramine can cause drowsiness or dizziness. Your ability to
- perform tasks that require alertness, such as driving a car or operating
- potentially dangerous equipment, may be decreased. Appropriate caution
- should, therefore, be taken.
- * Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant. The effects of this
- medication during pregnancy have not been thoroughly studied in humans. Also,
- tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding an infant. Small amounts of
- diphenhydramine pass into breast milk and may cause unusual excitement or
- irritability in nursing infants.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-