Diphenhydramine: It is time to say a final goodbye(Benadryl,Dimedrol, Daedalon, Nytol, and Vivinox)

 Your competent? doctor warned you against this almost a decade ago, right? NO? So, you DON'T have a functioning stroke doctor or hospital, do you?

Allergy drugs may hurt your brain, study shows  April 2016 

The latest here:

Diphenhydramine: It is time to say a final goodbye

James H. Clark, MD^a jclark79@jh.edu ∙ Eli O. Meltzer, MD^b ∙ Robert M. Naclerio, MD^a

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Abstract

Diphenhydramine, once a pioneering antihistamine, is now overshadowed by second-generation antihistamines with similar efficacy and fewer adverse effects. Current data suggest that the adverse side-effect profile of diphenhydramine is higher among children and older adults. This has led to countries such as Germany and Sweden restricting access to first-generation antihistamines and societal guidelines advocating for the use of second-generation antihistamines. Despite its well-documented problematic therapeutic ratio, diphenhydramine remains available in over 300 formulations, most of which are over-the-counter.

Based on a comprehensive evaluation of practice patterns and the prevalence and incidence of adverse clinical events, we believe that diphenhydramine has reached the end of its life cycle, and in its class of therapies it is a relatively greater public health hazard. We recommend it should no longer be widely prescribed or continue to be readily available over the counter.

Further info on this:

"Anything you would use Benadryl for can be replaced with cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra), or [levocetirizine (Xyzal)]," David Stukus, MD, of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, wrote in an Instagram post about the paper. "If you're asking if any of these are safer or better, the answer is YES!!!"

Allergy drugs may hurt your brain, study shows

Make sure neither you nor your doctor is making your cognition worse.

Allergy drugs may hurt your brain, study shows

Highlights:

Benadryl, Demerol, Dimetapp, Dramamine, Paxil among drugs that were studied

Use of this class of drugs was associated with cognitive impairment and dementia

More at link.

The research backing this up:

Association Between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Cognition, Brain Metabolism, and Brain Atrophy in Cognitively Normal Older Adults

Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergics and Incident Dementia

You probably have to consult with your doctor to make sure you aren't increasing your dementia risk.

Abstract here:

Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergics and Incident Dementia

Readable PSYblog here:

4 Very Common Medicines Newly Linked to Irreversible Dementia Risk

Four commonly used drugs which have strong anticholinergic effects are:

1. Doxepin (Sinequan) – an older antidepressant.
2. Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) – an antihistamine used to treat hayfever.
3. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) – another antihistamine often used to treat hayfever and sometimes used to aid sleep.
4. Oxybutynin (Ditropan) – for bladder control.

The study, which is published in JAMA Internal Medicine, tracked 3,434 people over the age of 65 who had no signs of dementia (Gray et al., 2015).
They were followed up over 7 years, during which time 797 developed dementia.