US Medical Term · medications
Antihistamine
Antihistamínico
Forms and label words that go with this class
MedlinePlus says antihistamines come as pills, chewable tablets, capsules, liquids, nasal sprays, and eye drops, and that there are also injectable forms used mainly in health care settings. Some products combine an antihistamine with a decongestant, which MedlinePlus describes as a medicine that dries up the nasal passages. MedlinePlus also notes that some antihistamines cause less sleepiness than others, and it tells readers to find out how the medicine affects them before driving or using machinery and not to drink alcohol while taking antihistamines.
What it means
An antihistamine is a type of medicine that treats allergy symptoms by blocking the effects of histamine. During an allergic reaction the immune system releases chemicals such as histamines, and these chemicals cause the symptoms. Antihistamines treat congestion, a runny nose, sneezing and itching, swelling of the nasal passages, hives and other skin rashes, and itchy, runny eyes. The National Cancer Institute also describes their use for coughs and colds and to prevent fevers in patients receiving blood transfusions. Many brands and forms can be bought without a prescription. Possible side effects include drowsiness, dizziness and dry mouth. This page explains the word only; which antihistamine, if any, is right for a person is a question for a health care provider or pharmacist.
Antihistamine in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Antihistamínico
- Gender and article
- masculine: el antihistamínico (plural: los antihistamínicos)
- Pronunciation
- ahn-tees-tah-MEE-nee-koh
MedlinePlus en español and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary both use antihistamínico for this type of medicine. In those sources it is a masculine noun: MedlinePlus en español writes un antihistamínico in the singular and los antihistamínicos in the plural. The written accent falls on the syllable mí. The related word histamina (histamine) names the substance the medicine acts against: the NCI's Spanish entry defines an antihistamínico as a type of medicine that blocks the action of histamine.
Words MedlinePlus en español uses next to it include alergia (allergy), urticaria (hives), picazón (itching), estornudos (sneezing) and somnolencia (drowsiness). For the forms a product comes in, the same page lists píldoras, tabletas masticables, cápsulas, líquidos, aerosoles nasales and gotas para los ojos. A product bought without a prescription is described there as bought sin receta médica, and a decongestant is a descongestionante.
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | My eyes itch and I keep sneezing. Would an antihistamine help? | Me pican los ojos y no paro de estornudar. ¿Me ayudaría un antihistamínico? |
| Clinician | Are you taking an antihistamine now, or any other medicine? | ¿Está tomando un antihistamínico ahora, o algún otro medicamento? |
| Patient | I bought one without a prescription, but it makes me very sleepy. | Compré uno sin receta médica, pero me da mucho sueño. |
| Clinician | Some antihistamines cause less drowsiness than others. Let's look at the label together. | Algunos antihistamínicos causan menos somnolencia que otros. Vamos a revisar la etiqueta juntos. |
| Patient | Can I drive or use machinery while I am taking it? | ¿Puedo conducir o usar maquinaria mientras lo tomo? |
| Clinician | Does this product also contain a decongestant? | ¿Este producto también contiene un descongestionante? |
| Patient | Is this antihistamine safe during pregnancy? | ¿Es seguro este antihistamínico durante el embarazo? |
| Clinician | Please tell me if your allergy symptoms are not getting better. | Por favor, avíseme si los síntomas de la alergia no mejoran. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Antihistamine |
| Spanish (Español) | Antihistamínico |
| Chinese (中文) | 抗組織胺藥 |
| Korean (한국어) | 항히스타민제 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Thuốc kháng histamine |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Antihistamine |
| Portuguese (Português) | Anti-histamínico |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ยาต้านฮิสตามีน |
| Japanese (日本語) | 抗ヒスタミン薬 |
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Blood and immune system
All terms in this area: Blood and immune system — Sangre y sistema inmunitario
Sources
- Antihistamines for allergies (Medical Encyclopedia) — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Antihistamínicos para las alergias (Enciclopedia médica) — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: antihistamine — National Cancer Institute (NIH)
- Diccionario de cáncer del NCI: antihistamínico — Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (NIH)
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026