If you remember more than 4 hours after, do not give the missed dose. Instead, wait until the next dose and carry on as normal. The extent of absorption of cetirizine is not reduced with food, although the rate of absorption is decreased. The extent of bioavailability is similar when cetirizine is given as solutions, capsules or tablets. Loratadine is a non-drowsy antihistamine, whereas Piriton contains Chlorphenamine, a drowsy antihistamine. Finally, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to give us a call! Our friendly Chemist 4 U pharmacists will be happy to give you any advice you need about hay fever or any other medical problem. Every medication is different, so taking them together will pose different risks that your doctor will know all about.

You can take cetirizine either with or without food. Some people find it helps to swallow the tablets or capsules with a drink of water. Antihistamines are medicines often used to relieve symptoms of allergies, such as hay fever, hives, conjunctivitis and reactions to insect bites or stings.Hay fever can be controlled by products used to relieve allergy symptoms, which you can buy from a pharmacy. For more severe symptoms, you may need prescription medication from your GP. In addition to its anti-H 1 effect, cetirizine was shown to display anti-allergic activities: at a dose of 10 mg once or twice daily, it inhibits the late phase recruitment of eosinophils, in the skin and conjunctiva of atopic subjects submitted to allergen challenge. In a six-week, placebo-controlled study of 186 patients with allergic rhinitis and concomitant mild to moderate asthma, cetirizine 10 mg once daily improved rhinitis symptoms and did not alter pulmonary function. This study supports the safety of administering cetirizine to allergic patients with mild to moderate asthma.

Caution should be taken in patients with predisposition factors of urinary retention (e.g. spinal cord lesion, prostatic hyperplasia) as cetirizine may increase the risk of urinary retention.Elderly: Following a single 10 mg oral dose, half-life increased by about 50 % and clearance decreased by 40 % in 16 elderly subjects compared to the younger subjects. The decrease in cetirizine clearance in these elderly volunteers appeared to be related to their decreased renal function. However, you should always read the patient information leaflet on every medication carefully before taking it at the same time as another medicine. Paediatric population: The half-life of cetirizine was about 6 hours in children of 6-12 years and 5 hours in children 2-6 years. In infants and toddlers aged 6 to 24 months, it is reduced to 3.1 hours. Rare: hepatic function abnormal (increased transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, γ-GT and bilirubin)

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. What if I take too much? If you are giving cetirizine liquid medicine to a child, make sure you follow the dosing instructions on the bottle carefully so that you measure out the correct dose for the age of your child. So Loratadine is much less likely to make you feel drowsy than other antihistamines on the market, great for those who need to drive or operate machinery.

Oral LD50 (rat): 365 mg/kg; Intraperitoneal LDLO (mouse): 138 mg/kg; Oral TDLO (rat): 50 mg/kg; Oral TDLO (mouse): 0.1 mg/kg . Take your forgotten dose as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. In this case, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time. At therapeutic doses, no clinically significant interactions have been demonstrated with alcohol (for a blood alcohol level of 0.5 g/L). Nevertheless, precaution is recommended if alcohol is taken concomitantly. Most hay fever medication works best when you take it before the pollen is in the air and your symptoms develop.