John experiences seasonal allergies each winter, taking an over-the-counter antihistamine that makes him drowsy and causes dry mouth. His doctor diagnoses him with allergies and prescribes loratadine, a second-generation antihistamine that relieves his symptoms without adverse effects. Antihistamines work by blocking histamine H1 receptors to reduce allergic responses. First-generation antihistamines are more sedating due to additional anticholinergic effects, while second-generation antihistamines like loratadine selectively block H1 receptors without crossing the blood-brain barrier.