Antihistamines — Second Generation
What Are Second Generation Antihistamines?
If you haven't read the first two articles on how antihistamines work and first generation antihistamines, I highly recommend reading them before the rest of this article. You can find them HERE and HERE.
Antihistamines are a group of medications that block the effects of histamine within your body.
Specifically, these medications are called second generation antihistamines because they were discovered and created AFTER the older, first generation antihistamines. The second generation antihistamines are:
Fexofenadine = Allegra
Cetirizine = Zyrtec
Loratadine = Claritin
These medications can help with symptoms one typically experiences with allergies like itchiness, congestion, sneezing etc.
One important thing to mention, is some people respond to one second generation antihistamine better than another, so if you try Claritin for instance and aren't getting the results you're looking for, try another like Allegra or Zyrtec.
Major Side Effects…?
The good thing about the second generation antihistamines is that they do NOT cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) (or the magical barrier that doesn't allow molecules to go from your blood into the neurons of your brain). This means that unlike the first generation antihistamines, these medications do not effect your brain, so you're much less likely to get the sleepiness, confusion, or lightheadedness that is discussed in previous articles. These medications are extremely safe, and in fact are one of the safest medications on the market today.
As always, before you start any new medications even if they're over the counter, please consult your local health care provider.
