| Biologic effects of histamine: H1receptor: contraction of endothelial cells and smooth muscle, increase in venule permeability H2 receptor: secretion of parietal cell acid   First generation: Hydroxyzine (Atarax) 
| | • | sig:  10mg 1-5 tablets QID | 
| • | 1 QID day #1;  if still itchy take 2 QID day #2;   until 5 QID (i.e.50mg QID) | 
| • | max daily adult dosage = 400mg | 
 |   Chlorpheniramine = OTC and least sedating first generation anti-histamine   First generation: | • | sedative effect ameliorates in most in a few days of continuous administration | 
| • | long term therapy appears to be less efficacious over a period of weeks | 
  Pharmacokinetics: | • | efffects observed within 30 minutes, peak in 1-2 hours; persist for 4-6 hours | 
  Side effects: | • | gastrointestinal second most common | 
| • | contraindicated with MOA inhibitors | 
    Second generation (low sedating): Terfenadine (Seldane) off the market; association with torsade de pointes Astemizole (Hismanal) off the market Cetirizine (Zyrtec) 
| | • | metabolite of hydroxyzine | 
| • | can give as young as age 5 | 
| • | less sedating (take QHS says Marie, and will have no drowsiness next day) | 
| • | no restriction on taking with other meds | 
| • | greater activity than hydroxyzine, loratadine and others | 
 | Loratadine (Claritin)  
| | • | no sedative effect compared to placebo | 
| • | no contraindications even though metabolized by cyt P450 | 
 | Fexofenadine (Allegra)   Second Generation: | • | bind non-competitively, therefore longer duration (not easily displaced by histamine) | 
| • | often need to increase dose: | 
| • | fexofenadine 120mg QID (?) | 
| • | loratidine or cetiriziine 20mg BID | 
  Other: Doxepin 
| | • | depression dose = 150mg QHS  (can take several weeks before onset of efficacy) | 
| • | for itch:  10mg TID (in elderly)  to 30mg TID | 
 |   Aggressive Antihistamine Regimen (from AAD lecture 2011) | • | fexofenadine 360mg QAM,  loratidine 20mg midday, cetirizine 20mg QHS, and ranitidine 150mg PO BID (all of these are given each day in this regimen) | 
| • | add singulair 10mg/day (if still not controlled) | 
| • | "can't hurt someone with non-sedating anti-histamines" per speaker | 
| • | Soter confirmed at 2011 AAD lecture "up to four times standard dose of all anti-histamines = okay" | 
    Summary: antihistamine effect: Strong: loratadine, fexofenadine, cetirizine HCL, hydroxyzine Mild:  diphenhydramine anticholinergic effect Strong: diphenhydramine Moderate: hydroxyzine Weak: cetrizine, loratadine, fexofenadine sedative effect: Strong: diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine Occasional: cetirizine HCL Rare: astemizole, loratadine, fexofenadine |