ANTIHISTAMINES IN THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA

Antihistamines were investigated for use in asthma shortly after disco very over fifty years ago. Earlier compounds proved ineffective becaus e of side effects: this class of drugs was not thought useful for asth ma, and were actually considered contraindicated. More recent drugs ha ve greater potency, fewer side-effects, and no evidence of adverse eff ects in asthma. There are some studies showing second generation antih istamines, especially cetirizine, improve certain parameters of asthma .