Older antihistamines can cause falls, especially in the elderly. The sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion, and sinus pressure that come with seasonal allergies — all of these symptoms can become nearly unbearable.

The anticholinergic effects are drying of the mouth and eyes, blurred vision, urinary retention, and constipation. By Joanna R. Leefer. High Blood Pressure and Drug Safety. In fact, there is a laundry list of medications and herbal supplemeDiphenhydramine hydrochloride -- the active ingredient in many antihistamines and OTC sleep aids -- can be risky for elderly people, Schwab stresses. "The average number of prescription medications taken by people over 65 is five or six,” says Michael H. Perskin, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and an internist at the New York University Langone Medical Center.

Most antihistamines don’t require a prescription and they come in the form of pills, sprays, gels, liquid and eye drops.There are two major categories for antihistamines including Elderly people are predisposed to experiencing rhinitis due to structural changes which occur in the nose as people age. They have untoward side effects, however, that are particularly notable in the elderly patient. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine. Immunol and Allergy Clinics of N Amer. In the elderly, H1-antihistamine therapy is commonly prescribed for treatment of rhinitis, conjunctivitis, pruritus, eczema, urticaria, and for prophylaxis of anaphylactoid reactions. Edited by: Hatter JB, Aslander JG, Tinette, M, Studenski S, High KP, Asthana S. 2009, New York. "Always read the labels and follow the dosing instructions," Perskin says.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is the blanket name for such OTC medications as aspirin (Bayer, Bufferin, St. Joseph), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Appendix 1 lists the specific factors that may affect general medical treatment in the elderly.The elderly patient is frequently being treated for a variety of medical conditions with a number of medications. "So how can you find effective and safe relief from arthritis and other pain, and cold or allergy symptoms? 1981, 36: 375-381. Treating rhinitis in the older population: special considerations. In order to better treat allergy related symptoms, those who are taking care of the elderly may want to attempt treating their symptoms using natural products with minimal side effects like Ortho Molecular Products Natural D-Hist, PatchMD Allergy Plus Topical Patches, and Natural Ophthalmics Allergy Desensitization Eye Drops.Your success is our passion.

These changes include decrease in muscle mass, fat and body water.Medications metabolized through the liver and kidney may be affected by decrease in function of the organ systems.Finally, many elderly patients have limited financial resources and may simply not be able to afford the cost of the prescribed medications.Appendix 2 shows the various categories of rhinitis in the elderly. Bottom Line. Rhinitis in the elderly is a common but often neglected condition. The elderly eliminate both first-and second-generation antihistamines more slowly [The second-generation antihistamines (loratadine, cetirizine, fexofendaine, desloratadine and levoceterizine) are much better tolerated, with little or no sedative or anticholinergic effects. Medications generally well tolerated by the elderly are second generation antihistamines, intra-nasal anti-inflammatory agents, leukotriene modifiers and iprapropium nasal spray.Rhinitis is a common and bothersome condition in the elderly. If you do take both, it is important to not drive or operate machinery until you know how these drugs will affect you. Benadryl has long been a leader in treating symptoms associated with ragweed allergies as well as those associated with other common allergies and cold symptoms too. Doxylamine succinate (Unisom SleepTabs). Some of the best natural ingredients used for alternative treatment include:The best antihistamine products on the market for treating rhinitis and allergies within the elderly include:Natural Ophthalmics Allergy Desensitization Eye DropsNot only do all of these products utilize natural ingredients, they also heavily reduce the risk of experiencing serious side effects with their use.Altogether, we have seen that, although antihistamine products are used extensively by the public in relieving allergy symptoms, they may lead to extreme side effects in the elderly which should be avoided at all costs. "Read the labels and stay within the safe dose range. … Brian Staiger is a licensed pharmacist in New York State and the founder of the Q+A website PharmacistAnswers.com.

Weakening of the upper and lower nasal cartilage, retraction of the nasal columella, and downward rotation of the nasal tip contribute to an increase in nasal airway resistance [This article will deal with the special considerations of treating rhinitis in the older population.

The elderly patient is frequently being treated for a variety of medical conditions with a number of medications that can result in untoward effects of the nose. © 2020 BioMed Central Ltd unless otherwise stated.