[Posted 09/24/2020]
Benadryl (diphenhydramine): Drug Safety Communication - Serious Problems with High Doses of the Allergy Medicine
AUDIENCE: Consumer, Patient, Health Professional, Pharmacy
ISSUE: FDA is warning that taking higher than recommended doses of the common over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicine Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death. FDA is aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the "Benadryl Challenge" encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok.
FDA is investigating these reports and conducting a review to determine if additional cases have been reported. FDA will update the public once the review is complete or if there is more information to share.
BACKGROUND: Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used to temporarily relieve symptoms due to hay fever, upper respiratory allergies, or the common cold, such as runny nose and sneezing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consumers, parents, and caregivers should store diphenhydramine and all other OTC and prescription medicines up and away and out of children's reach and sight. FDA recommends you lock up medicines to prevent accidental poisonings by children and misuse by teens, especially when they are home more often due to the COVID-19 pandemic and may be more likely to experiment.
Always read the Drug Facts label included on all OTC medicines to find out if they contain diphenhydramine, how much and how often you should take them, and important safety information. Do not take more than the dose listed on the label, as doing so can cause serious problems. If someone takes too much diphenhydramine and is hallucinating, can't be awakened, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or has collapsed, immediately get medical attention or contact poison control at 1-800-222-1222 or online.
Health care professionals should be aware that the "Benadryl Challenge" is occurring among teens and alert their caregivers about it. Encourage teens and caregivers to read and follow the Drug Facts label. In the event of an overdose, health care professionals should attempt to determine whether a patient with a suspected overdose took diphenhydramine.
Read more about the MedWatch Safety Alert, including a link to the FDA Drug Safety Communication, at:
https://reurl.cc/Y6gQWO
Diphenhydramine是一種抗組織胺，可用於暫時緩解花粉症、上呼吸道過敏或普通感冒（如流鼻水和打噴嚏）所引起的過敏症狀。美國FDA發佈藥物安全警訊，常見非處方（over the counter, OTC）抗過敏藥Benadryl（diphenhydramine）服用高於建議劑量，會導致嚴重的心臟病、癲癇、昏迷，甚至死亡。美國FDA發現有新聞報導，青少年因參加社交媒體TikTok發布的「 Benadryl挑戰」影片，最後送往急診室或死亡。美國FDA正在調查這些報告並進行審查，以確認是否有其他通報案例。一旦審查完成或有更多資訊需宣導，美國FDA將向公眾更新審查進度。
消費者、父母和照顧者應將diphenhydramine及所有其他OTC和處方藥存放於遠離兒童視野或伸手可及的地方。美國FDA建議將藥品上鎖儲存，以防止兒童意外中毒和青少年濫用，尤其是在COVID-19大流行之際，因兒童與青少年更常在家，且更有可能進行實驗。務必閱讀所有OTC藥品所附的「藥品仿單」，以了解藥品是否含有diphenhydramine、應服用的劑量和頻次及重要的安全資訊。不要使用超過仿單上所建議的劑量，以免導致嚴重的副作用。若某人服用過量的diphenhydramine而產生幻覺、無法喚醒、癲癇發作、呼吸困難或虛脫，請立即就醫。
醫療專業人員應注意並提醒其照顧者，青少年有可能正在進行「Benadryl挑戰」。鼓勵青少年和照顧者閱讀並遵照藥品仿單所述之方法使用。如果發生服藥過量的情形，醫療專業人員應確認病人是否有服用diphenhydramine過量的可能性。
更多相關訊息與連結請參考FDA網址：https://reurl.cc/Y6gQWO
資料來源：美國FDA之藥物安全警訊
資料提供：台大醫院藥劑部
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