Understanding Cetirizine: Uses, Dosage, Effectiveness, and Side Effects
This chat covers cetirizine, an antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms, including its uses, forms, dosage recommendations, effectiveness, precautions, and common side effects.
what is cetirizina
Cetirizine is an antihistamine used to temporarily relieve the symptoms of hay fever (allergy to pollen, dust, or other substances in the air) and other allergies, such as dust mites, animal dander, molds, and cockroaches. These symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itchy, red, watery eyes, and itchy nose or throat1.
It is also used to treat itching and redness caused by hives (urticaria) and chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives with an unknown cause) but does not prevent hives or other allergic skin reactions12.
How It Works:
Cetirizine belongs to a class of medications called antihistamines, which work by blocking the action of histamine, a substance in the body that causes allergic symptoms1.Forms and Dosage:
Cetirizine is available in various forms, including tablets, chewable tablets, extended-release tablets, and syrup. It is usually taken once a day with or without food3.Effectiveness:
Studies have shown that cetirizine is effective in reducing allergic symptoms and is often favored over other antihistamines like loratadine and fexofenadine, particularly for its longer duration of action45.Precautions:
Cetirizine can cause drowsiness, though it is considered a non-drowsy antihistamine. It is important to avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how cetirizine affects you6. It is also advisable to avoid consuming alcohol, as it can increase the sedative effect of cetirizine7.Common Side Effects:
Common side effects of cetirizine include headaches, dry mouth, feeling sick, dizziness, and diarrhea8.Footnotes