Cetirizine and antihistamines
A non-drowsy second-generation antihistamine that blocks histamine H1 receptors to relieve hay fever, hives and other allergic symptoms.
- Generic name
- Cetirizine and antihistamines
- Active ingredient
- Cetirizine and antihistamines (variants: cetirizine hydrochloride)
- Product type
- Small-molecule medicine
- Drug class
- Antihistamines
- Brand names
- UK Zirtek, Piriteze, Benadryl Allergy (UK) · US Zyrtec
- Routes
- Oral
- Dosage forms
- Tablet, Solution
- Forms
- Tablets 10 mg once daily, oral solution for children, eye drops and nasal sprays of related agents
- Onset and duration
- Within an hour; lasts 24 hours.
- Terminology
- RxNorm RxCUI 20610 · ATC R06AE07 · FDA EPC Histamine-1 Receptor Antagonist [EPC]
- Monitoring
- None.
Availability by country
| Country | Status | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Over the counter | UK |
Legal status differs between countries and can change; each row cites the document it was taken from and applies only to the country named.
What it is used for
- Hay fever and year-round allergic rhinitis: sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes
- Urticaria (hives) and itching
- Mild allergic reactions to foods, insect bites and drugs (not a substitute for adrenaline in anaphylaxis)
- Sedating first-generation antihistamines (chlorphenamine, promethazine) for short-term itch or nausea
How it works in the body
Blocks H1 histamine receptors on blood vessels, nerves and smooth muscle. When mast cells release histamine in response to an allergen, it normally makes capillaries leak (swelling, runny nose), stimulates itch nerves and constricts airways; with the receptors occupied, those effects are muted. Second-generation drugs cross the blood-brain barrier poorly, so they cause much less drowsiness than older ones.
Common side effects
- Mild drowsiness (about 1 in 10, more than loratadine or fexofenadine), dry mouth, headache, tiredness
Serious: seek help
- Marked sedation and impaired driving with first-generation agents; confusion and falls in the elderly, urinary retention in men with prostate enlargement
- QT prolongation with some older non-sedating agents (withdrawn); rare hypersensitivity
Cautions and interactions
- Check driving response with any antihistamine; avoid alcohol
- Dose reduced in kidney impairment for cetirizine
- Not for children under 2 without advice; sedating antihistamines avoided in young children
- Anaphylaxis needs adrenaline first: antihistamines are adjuncts only
Interactions
Check interactions
Taking Cetirizine and antihistamines with other medicines? Add them to the checker to see what the official sources say about each pair: the mechanism, general management and monitoring, never a bare "safe".
Interactions documented in the official sources cited on each card. The list covers the medicines represented on this site and is not exhaustive; how the interaction data is compiled.
No pair records for this medicine are in the sources currently represented by Anatomy Nexus. Absence from this list does not mean no interaction exists.
Same-class and related medicines
Same class: Antihistamines
Medicines that share the class of Cetirizine and antihistamines. They are separate medicines with their own licences, doses and interactions, not alternative names for Cetirizine and antihistamines.
Related medicines
Medicines often discussed alongside Cetirizine and antihistamines: used together, compared with it, or acting on the same problem by a different route.