Antihistamine Offers Relief For Cirrhosis Patients With Insomnia

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Antihistamine Offers Relief For Cirrhosis Patients With Insomnia -

Medication Restores Normal Chemical Function In The Brain, Improving

Sleep

26 May 2007

A common medication used by allergy sufferers may offer relief to

cirrhosis patients that suffer from insomnia. A new study in The

American Journal of Gastroenterology shows that the antihistamine

hydroxyzine is an effective treatment for restoring normal sleep

patterns when liver damage causes chemical pathways in the brain to

be disrupted.

" In patients with cirrhosis of the liver, histamine levels in the

brain can be altered, " says study author Dr. t Spahr. " In the

brain, histamine regulates the sleep-wake cycle, so if levels of this

chemical get out of balance, so do sleep patterns. " In this study, 65

percent of the patients receiving hydroxyzine before bedtime

experienced improved sleep quality.

Dr. Spahr says that hydroxyzine is a welcome alternative

to 'classical' sleeping pills, as they are usually ineffective and

can lead to serious side effects in cirrhosis patients, such as coma.

Recent practice guidelines forbid the use of these 'classical' drugs

for cirrhosis patients, declaring them too dangerous.

According to Dr. Spahr, however, hydroxyzine is not risk-free. " This

medication must be used with caution. Patients must be monitored

carefully by a physician for their particular response to the drug,

and should be taken off the medication if there are any signs of

trouble. "

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