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Before Using
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to medicines in this group or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Serious side effects, such as convulsions (seizures), are more likely to occur in younger patients and would be of greater risk to infants than to older children or adults. In general, children are more sensitive to the effects of antihistamines. Also, nightmares or unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may be more likely to occur in children.
Do not give any over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicine to a baby or child under 4 years of age. Using these medicines in very young children might cause serious or possibly life-threatening side effects .
Geriatric
Elderly patients are usually more sensitive to the effects of antihistamines. Confusion; difficult or painful urination; dizziness; drowsiness; feeling faint; or dryness of mouth, nose, or throat may be more likely to occur in elderly patients. Also, nightmares or unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability may be more likely to occur in elderly patients.
Pregnancy
Hydroxyzine is not recommended for use in the first months of pregnancy since it has been shown to cause birth defects in animal studies when given in doses many times higher than the usual human dose. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.
Desloratadine and fexofenadine have not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that these medicines cause birth defects or other problems when given in doses higher than the usual human dose. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.
Azatadine, brompheniramine, cetirizine, chlorpheniramine, clemastine, cyproheptadine, dexchlorpheniramine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, and loratadine have not been studied in pregnant women. However, these medicines have not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.
Breastfeeding
Small amounts of antihistamines pass into the breast milk. Use is not recommended since babies are more susceptible to the side effects of antihistamines, such as unusual excitement or irritability. Also, since these medicines tend to decrease the secretions of the body, it is possible that the flow of breast milk may be reduced in some patients. It is not known yet whether cetirizine, desloratadine, or loratadine cause these same side effects.
Drug Interactions
Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with a medication in this class or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Acecainide
- Ajmaline
- Amiodarone
- Amisulpride
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Amprenavir
- Aprepitant
- Aprindine
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Astemizole
- Azimilide
- Bepridil
- Bretylium
- Brofaromine
- Chloroquine
- Cisapride
- Clarithromycin
- Clorgyline
- Darunavir
- Delavirdine
- Desipramine
- Dibenzepin
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Doxepin
- Dronedarone
- Efavirenz
- Enflurane
- Erythromycin
- Flecainide
- Fluconazole
- Fluoxetine
- Fluvoxamine
- Fosaprepitant
- Foscarnet
- Furazolidone
- Gemifloxacin
- Grepafloxacin
- Haloperidol
- Halothane
- Hydroquinidine
- Ibutilide
- Imipramine
- Indinavir
- Iproniazid
- Isocarboxazid
- Isoflurane
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Lazabemide
- Levomethadyl
- Lidoflazine
- Linezolid
- Lopinavir
- Lorcainide
- Mefloquine
- Mesoridazine
- Mibefradil
- Moclobemide
- Nefazodone
- Nelfinavir
- Nialamide
- Nortriptyline
- Octreotide
- Pargyline
- Pentamidine
- Phenelzine
- Pimozide
- Pirmenol
- Posaconazole
- Prajmaline
- Probucol
- Procainamide
- Procarbazine
- Prochlorperazine
- Propafenone
- Quetiapine
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Rasagiline
- Risperidone
- Ritonavir
- Saquinavir
- Selegiline
- Sematilide
- Sertindole
- Sotalol
- Sparfloxacin
- Spiramycin
- Sulfamethoxazole
- Sultopride
- Tedisamil
- Telithromycin
- Terfenadine
- Thioridazine
- Tipranavir
- Toloxatone
- Tranylcypromine
- Trifluoperazine
- Trimethoprim
- Trimipramine
- Troleandomycin
- Vasopressin
- Voriconazole
- Ziprasidone
- Zolmitriptan
- Zotepine
Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acecainide
- Ajmaline
- Amiodarone
- Amisulpride
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Aprindine
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Asenapine
- Azimilide
- Bretylium
- Chloral Hydrate
- Chloroquine
- Chlorpromazine
- Dalfopristin
- Desipramine
- Dibenzepin
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Dolasetron
- Doxepin
- Droperidol
- Encainide
- Enflurane
- Fentanyl
- Flecainide
- Fluoxetine
- Foscarnet
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Halofantrine
- Haloperidol
- Halothane
- Hydroquinidine
- Ibutilide
- Iloperidone
- Imipramine
- Isoflurane
- Isradipine
- Josamycin
- Lanreotide
- Lapatinib
- Levorphanol
- Lidoflazine
- Linezolid
- Lithium
- Lorcainide
- Lumefantrine
- Mefloquine
- Methadone
- Metrizamide
- Morphine
- Morphine Sulfate Liposome
- Moxifloxacin
- Nelfinavir
- Nortriptyline
- Octreotide
- Oxycodone
- Pentamidine
- Pirmenol
- Prajmaline
- Probucol
- Procainamide
- Procarbazine
- Prochlorperazine
- Propafenone
- Protriptyline
- Quetiapine
- Quinidine
- Quinupristin
- Risperidone
- Roxithromycin
- Sematilide
- Sertraline
- Sotalol
- Spiramycin
- Sulfamethoxazole
- Sultopride
- Sunitinib
- Tapentadol
- Tedisamil
- Telavancin
- Telithromycin
- Tramadol
- Trifluoperazine
- Trimethoprim
- Trimipramine
- Vasopressin
- Zileuton
- Zolpidem
- Zotepine
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using medicines in this class with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use your medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.
- Grapefruit Juice
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of medicines in this class. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Enlarged prostate or
- Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination—Antihistamines may make urinary problems worse.
- Glaucoma—These medicines may cause a slight increase in inner eye pressure that may make the condition worse.
- Intestinal obstruction or
- Stomach ulcer—Use of cyproheptadine may make these conditions worse.
- Liver disease or
- Kidney disease—Effects of desloratadine may be increased because of slower removal from the body.
