Alternatives to diphenhydramine
1 same-class SPL records vs diphenhydramine - uses, FAERS reaction fields, and OTC/Rx flags from public FDA sources.
Brand: Benadryl
How to read a high-report FAERS peer set
diphenhydramine ranks in the upper FAERS-volume third of the corpus (#121 of 524); 1 same-class peers are listed for field comparison only. Labeled indication field for diphenhydramine: This medicine temporarily relieves symptoms from allergies or hay fever.
Top FAERS reaction fields for diphenhydramine total 39,095 reports across 10 reactions, set beside chlorpheniramine. Counts are exposure-weighted submissions, not per-patient risk.
About diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine, also known as Benadryl, is an antihistamine medicine. It helps relieve allergy and cold symptoms.
Used for: This medicine temporarily relieves symptoms from allergies or hay fever. These symptoms include sneezing, itchy nose or throat, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes. It also helps with sneezing and runny nose caused by the common cold.
1 First-Generation Antihistamine peers (wide set)
diphenhydramine vs chlorpheniramine · FAERS reaction fields
FAERS top-reaction field "Headache" shows the widest count spread between diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine in this extract (4,864-report gap on that field). Counts are exposure-weighted submissions, not prevalence rates.
| Side Effect | diphenhydramine | chlorpheniramine |
|---|---|---|
| Headache | 5,138 | 274 |
| Fatigue | 5,076 | 467 |
| Nausea | 4,484 | 601 |
| Pain | 4,014 | - |
| Sinusitis | 3,668 | - |
| Toxicity To Various Agents | 3,497 | - |
| Dyspnoea | 3,387 | 416 |
| Pyrexia | 3,386 | 383 |
"-" means no reports for that reaction. Report counts reflect total FAERS submissions, not prevalence rates.
diphenhydramine FAERS volume vs class peers
FAERS volume band
diphenhydramine is FAERS corpus rank #121 of 524 (high volume tercile). Top-reaction field total: 39,095.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does diphenhydramine sit in FAERS report volume vs First-Generation Antihistamine peers? ▼
Registry note: FAERS counts are voluntary reports and do not establish causation or risk rates. This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not stop or change your medication without talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
Field note for diphenhydramine: see also the generic vs brand label guide when reading Benadryl SPL strings.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.