These two allergy drugs produce very similar results. However, the potential side effects are different. They also take effect at different times and stay effective for different durations. These factors could determine which of these two drugs is better for you. These drugs have different active ingredients. The active ingredient in Zyrtec is cetirizine. Both cetirizine and loratadine are nonsedating antihistamines.
Antihistamines have a reputation of making you sleepy because the first types crossed into your central nervous system more easily and had a direct effect on your alertness. However, newer antihistamines like Zyrtec and Claritin are less likely to cause this side effect. Claritin is long acting. Most people experience at least 24 hours of relief after a single dose. Zyrtec, on the other hand, is fast acting. People who take it may feel relief in as little as one hour.
It also releases a substance called histamine. This substance causes many of the symptoms of an allergic reaction. Antihistamines are designed to block the effects of the histamine that your body produces. In turn, they decrease the symptoms of the allergy. Zyrtec and Claritin have very few side effects and are generally recognized as safe for most people. However, some side effects may still occur. Zyrtec can cause sleepiness, but only in some people.
Take it for the first time when you will be at home for a few hours in case it makes you sleepy. Claritin is less likely to cause sleepiness than Zyrtec when you take either at recommended doses. More serious side effects of these medications are rare. If you have one of the following side effects after taking either medication, seek emergency medical attention:.
Children may have any of the side effects that adults do, but they can also have completely different reactions to antihistamines. Children may become stimulated, restless, or sleepless. Claritin is active in the body for at least 24 hours. The typical daily dose of Claritin for adults and children who are 6 years and older is 10 mg per day.
The typical daily dose of Claritin for children aged 2—5 years is 5 mg. Children this age using Zyrtec should be given 2. Loratadine—present in Claritin—may not be safe for people with severe liver conditions. The liver has to break down loratadine. The kidneys break down cetirizine—found in Zyrtec—and the body excretes it in the urine, largely unchanged. Claritin is more likely to interact with other drugs than Zyrtec.
Claritin is broken down in the liver by enzymes that other drugs can inhibit. This may lead to Claritin building up in the body, which increases the risk of side effects. Everyone reacts to medications differently, but Claritin and Zyrtec may have the following side effects:. Some people experience a severe allergic response called anaphylaxis after taking antihistamines.
A person should seek emergency medical attention if any of the following symptoms are present:. Some antihistamines are safe for children, but it is a good idea to talk with a doctor or check the label carefully before giving antihistamines to a child. In , a review found that some antihistamines may be problematic during pregnancy. However, the authors noted that there was no evidence linking cetirizine or loratidine to birth defects.
A study published in noted that 10—15 percent of women use antihistamines during pregnancy. Most appear to be safe, but some may have adverse effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC urge people to ask a doctor before using an antihistamine or any other drug during pregnancy. Claritin and Zyrtec are popular over-the-counter antihistamines. Doctors consider them safe and effective treatments for minor allergies.
Both are second-generation antihistamines. These cause less drowsiness than first-generation antihistamines. No research has concluded that Zyrtec or Claritin is more effective, but some people report better responses with one or the other.
The slight differences between the two may make one drug more appropriate for some people. People can purchase Zyrtec, Claritin, and other popular brands without a prescription from supermarkets, pharmacies, and online stores. Various treatments and strategies can help keep allergies at bay, including allergy shots. These injections help a person get used to an allergen over…. An allergic reaction on the face can cause symptoms, such as red, raised bumps, swollen lips, and wheezing. They are often caused by beauty products….
Allergies and colds share similar symptoms, such as a runny nose and a sore throat. If this happens or you're concerned, contact your doctor. Like all medicines, cetirizine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. The most common side effect of cetirizine is feeling sleepy and tired. This happens in more than 1 in 10 people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if this side effect bothers you or does not go away.
Other common side effects of cetirizine happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. Children are more likely to get diarrhoea, sneezing or a blocked and runny nose than adults. Call your doctor straight away if you have bruising or bleeding that's more than normal. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to cetirizine. These are not all the side effects of cetirizine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
Cetirizine can be used in pregnancy. There is no good evidence that it causes harm to the baby. However, other antihistamines such as loratadine may be recommended as there is more information about its use in pregnancy.
If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take cetirizine while breastfeeding. There is some information available which shows that only very small amounts get into breast milk.
Cetirizine has been used for many years while breastfeeding without side effects in babies. If your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, health visitor or midwife. Some medicines can increase the chances of you having side effects with cetirizine. Check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking any medicine that makes you drowsy, gives you a dry mouth, or makes it difficult for you to pee.
Taking cetirizine might make these side effects worse. There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside cetirizine, especially ones that cause sleepiness, a dry mouth, or make it difficult to pee. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.
Cetirizine is a type of medicine called an antihistamine. When you come into contact with something you're allergic to, such as pollen, animal hair or fur, your body produces a chemical called histamine. Usually histamine is a useful substance, but in an allergic reaction it causes unpleasant symptoms including itchy, watery eyes, a running or blocked nose, sneezing and skin rashes.
For example, if you have a reaction to an insect bite, you may only need to take cetirizine for a day or two. You may need to take cetirizine for longer if you're taking it to prevent symptoms — for example, to stop hay fever when the pollen count is high. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure how long you need to take cetirizine for. However it's best to take cetirizine only for as long as you need to. If you take it regularly over a long period there's a very small chance of severe itching if you stop treatment suddenly.
If you've been taking cetirizine every day for a long time, talk to your doctor before stopping it. It's best not to drink alcohol while you're taking cetirizine as it can make you feel sleepy. Cetirizine is classed as a non-drowsy antihistamine, but it's still possible to feel sleepy after taking it. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, use tools or machinery until you do not feel tired anymore.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking cetirizine.
UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving. That's because it's less likely to make you feel sleepy than sedating antihistamines, such as Piriton chlorphenamine. Most people prefer to take a non-drowsy antihistamine instead of one that makes them drowsy. An exception is when you want the medicine to make you sleepy — for example, if you have itchy skin that's keeping you awake.
Other non-drowsy antihistamines, such as loratadine , desloratadine, fexofenadine and levocetirizine, seem to work just as well as cetirizine. But cetirizine seems to be more likely to make you feel sleepy than loratadine, desloratadine or fexofenadine. Yes, you can take cetirizine together with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Sometimes doctors recommend that people with a severe, itchy skin rash take 2 different antihistamines together for a few days.
As well as taking a non-drowsy antihistamine during the day such as cetirizine or loratadine , your doctor may advise that you take a drowsy antihistamine at night time if the itching is making it difficult to sleep. Yes, it's fine to take cetirizine together with some other hay fever treatments — for example, steroid nasal sprays such as beclometasone Beconase , Rhinocort Aqua and Flixonase Nasules or eye drops.
Your doctor may prescribe a higher dose of cetirizine up to 4 times the usual dose for you or your child, for a severe, itchy skin rash or swelling under the skin angioedema.
Taking high doses of cetirizine is not suitable for everyone though. Speak to your doctor if you think cetirizine is not working for you. There's no evidence to suggest that taking certirizine will reduce fertility in either men or women. Speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant. Cetirizine does not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
However, if cetirizine makes you vomit or have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet to find out what to do.
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