Talk:Brompheniramine

The following information is from DrugBank, and should be rewritten (not copied!) into the article.

Indications
For the treatment of the symptoms of the common cold and allergic rhinitis, such as runny nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes, and sneezing.

Pharmacology
Brompheniramine is an antihistaminergic medication of the propylamine class. It is a first-generation antihistamine. In allergic reactions an allergen interacts with and cross-links surface IgE antibodies on mast cells and basophils. Once the mast cell-antibody-antigen complex is formed, a complex series of events occurs that eventually leads to cell-degranulation and the release of histamine (and other chemical mediators) from the mast cell or basophil. Once released, histamine can react with local or widespread tissues through histamine receptors. Histamine, acting on H1-receptors, produces pruritis, vasodilatation, hypotension, flushing, headache, tachycardia, and bronchoconstriction. Histamine also increases vascular permeability and potentiates pain. Brompheniramine is a histamine H1 antagonist (or more correctly, an inverse histamine agonist) of the alkylamine class. It provides effective, temporary relief of sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, and runny nose due to hay fever and other upper respiratory allergies.

Mechanism of Action
Brompheniramine works by acting as an antagonist of the H1 histamine receptors. It also functions as a moderately effective anticholingeric agent, likely an antimuscarinic agent similar to other common antihistamines such as diphenhydramine. Its effects on the cholinergic system may include side-effects such as drowsiness, sedation, dry mouth, dry throat, blurred vision, and increased heart rate.

Availability
Look on any drugstore chain website, and you will see Brompheniramine containing drugs (all marketed as cold remedies I could could find) are READILY available. Dimetapp is one heavily marketed brand, still containing this as an active ingredient.

This article says "It is rarely available over the counter" notice "rarely". Was this a typo or did someone try to mislead on purpose? At any rate, I am changing it. Retran (talk) 06:27, 10 January 2010 (UTC)

I noticed in the history it was changed on purpose with the rationalization "it's one and only product is children's dimetap". The number of products one annoymous wikipedia editor could remember on a given day is NOT an indication of its availability. The Dimetapp band itself is available in every drug store. That alone would make it readily available. Retran (talk) 06:35, 10 January 2010 (UTC)

And, with some research, you will find there are many other brands containing otc formulations with Brompheniramine. Such as "BroveX, BroveX CT, Dimetane, Dimetane Extentab, Dimetapp Allergy, Dimetapp Allergy Liquigel, Lodrane 12 Hour". Hey I just got these off Drugs.com. I'm sure with more intensive research you could come up with a long sheet of generic and store-brand names as well. So whoever that was that changed it, it was anonymous, and strange. Were they trying to prevent teenage cold medicine drug-abuse? I can't imagine what the point was. But was ill-conceived. Retran (talk) 06:35, 10 January 2010 (UTC)

Comments on this article
Not sure how to handle this - the statement about "...including long-term cognitive impairment" implies that taking brompheniramine over a long period of time will lead to permanent cognitive impairment, but the linked study does not appear to say that. Instead, it's focused on outcomes related to anticholinergic load in older patients, including those in long-term care facilities. Overall it does not look like the study says anticholinergic load has a long-term cumulative effect, more that taking a cocktail of drugs with high anticholinergic activity leads to bad outcomes in older patients. So I think the statement in this article should be reworded for clarity, or removed.