Benadryl Side Effects

Benadryl is a popular over-the-counter medication. There are a large number of indicated uses for Benadryl. In fact, Benadryl is used along the entire spectrum of the population, from young children to the elderly, and mild self-limited symptoms to dangerous medical conditions.

Despite the fact that Benadryl is available in every corner drug store, the use of this medication does require certain precautions. Benadryl has very real side effects that potential users need to be aware of.

The name Benadryl is actually a synonym for the more generic name Diphenhydramine. Benadryl is a first generation antihistamine and, as such, it is more sedating than the later generation antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) and loratadine (Claritin).

Benadryl is used for relief of allergy symptoms and symptoms of the common cold. As a sleep aid, Benadryl is used for the short term treatment of insomnia. Benadryl is also used to treat pruritic (itchy) skin conditions, to prevent itching and swelling reactions to intravenous medications, to relieve nausea and vomiting, and to improve mild anxiety.

More unusual uses of Benadryl include it's use in the early treatment of tremor in Parkinson's disease. Benadryl is also used to relieve acute allergic reactions after a patient receives plasma or blood transfusion, and is used in conjunction with epinephrine for anaphylactic reactions.

Common side effects of Benadryl include sedation, sleepiness, dizziness, difficulty performing coordinated movements, epigastric distress (stomach ache), and thickening of mucus secretions from the respiratory tract.

Importantly, when giving Benadryl to children by mouth and using a concomitant topical preparation that contains Benadryl there is a risk of diphenhydramine toxicity. The symptoms of Benadryl toxicity include: dilated pupils, flushed face, hallucinations, ataxic gait, and urinary retention.

In children, there is also the risk of diminished mental alertness, as well as risk of a paradoxical reaction that may cause excitation in young pediatric patients.

There are certain medical conditions that require a patient consult their physician before self-treating with over-the-counter Benadryl preparations. These conditions include glaucoma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or difficulty urinating due to prostatic hypertrophy.

Specifically, Benadryl should be used with caution in people with increased intraocular pressure, angle-closure glaucoma, peptic ulcer, obstruction at the pyloric sphincter of the stomach, bladder-neck obstruction, symptomatic prostatic hypertrophy, active bronchial asthma or a history of lower respiratory disease, hyperthyroidism, and/or cardiovascular disease such as hypertension.

Benadryl is widely available and commonly used. However, this medication has many side effects, including potential dangerous events in young children and in people with certain medical conditions.

Source: Lexi-Comp Online. Accessed Mar 26, 2010.