Allergy Medications |
Generic name |
Brand Name |
Class |
Use |
Dosage |
Tips and Product Link |
Acrivastine |
Semprex-D Capsules |
Antihistamine
Decongestant
Rx |
Allergic rhinitis |
Age 12 and above, one capsule every 4 to 6 hours. |
Do not take if you have high blood pressure or narrow angle glaucoma.
May cause sedation.
Pregnancy Category C |
Brompheniramine |
This generic medication appears in several combination products under a variety of different names. |
Antihistamine
OTC |
Allergic rhinitis and other allergies |
Read package label or discuss the proper dosing with your physician.
Children under 6: discuss use with physician. |
Available by itself as well as in combination with decongestants.
May cause sedation.
Pregnancy Category C
|
carbinoxamine |
Palgic 4mg Tablets
Palgic Liquid (4mg/5 mL)
generic |
Antihistamine |
Seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis
Other allergies |
Tablets:
Adults:1 to 2 tablets, 3 to 4 times a day
Age 6 to adult: 1 to 1½ tablets; 3 to 4 times a day
Liquid:
Adults: 1-2 teaspoons; 3 to 4 times a day.
Children older than 6: 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons; 3 to 4 times a day.
Ask physician for dose under 6.
Do not use under age 2. |
Palgic Web site
Pregnancy Category C
May cause sedation.
Be careful about carbinoxamine in combination products: FDA and Carbinoxamine. |
Cetirizine |
Adults:
Children:
- Zyrtec Allergy Syrup
- Zyrtec Chewable 5mg
- Zyrtec Chewable 10mg
- Zyrtec Hives Relief Syrup
|
Antihistamine
OTC |
Seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis
Chronic urticaria |
Children:
6 to 12 months: 1/2 tsp. (2.5 mg) once a day.
1 to 5 years: 1/2 tsp. [2.5 mg] Once or twice a day.
6 to 11 years: 1 or 2 tsp. [5 or 10 mg] Once a day. |
May cause mild sedation.
With or without food.
Zyrtec Web site
Pregnancy Category B |
Also appears as the generic cetirizine tablets and syrup as well as store brands of cetirizine. |
12 and older: 5 or 10 mg once a day. |
Zyrtec-D 12 Hour |
Antihistamine
Decongestant
OTC |
Seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis |
Age 12 and older:
One tablet twice daily. |
Combination of antihistamine (cetirizine) and a decongestant (pseudoephedrine).
Zyrtec-D Package Insert
Pregnancy Category C
Not to be used by people with high blood pressure or narrow angle glaucoma. |
Chlorpheniramine |
Sold as
Chlor-Trimeton and under various store brand names or in combination products. |
Antihistamine
OTC |
Allergic rhinitis and other allergies |
Discuss proper adult dosing with your physician.
Under age 6: Discuss use with physician. |
This is available by itself as well as in combination with decongestants.
May cause sedation.
Pregnancy Category C |
Clemastine |
Generic 1.34 Tab
Generic 2.68 Tab
Generic Syrup 0.5mg/5 mL
Tavist Allergy |
Antihistamine
OTC (Syrup & 1.34mg tab)
Rx (2.68 tab) |
Allergic rhinitis
Urticaria |
Children: 1 tsp twice a day.
Adults: 1.34 to 2.68 one to three times daily. |
May cause sedation.
Tavist can appear as a part
of several combination products.
Pregnancy Category B
|
Cyproheptadine |
Generic Syrup
2mg/5mL |
Antihistamine
Rx |
Allergic rhinitis
Urticaria |
Children:
2 to 6 years old:
0.25 mg/kg/day increasing to total of 2mg every 8 to 12 hours.
Age 7 to 14:
Can increase to 4 mg every 8 to 12 hours. |
May cause sedation.
Weight gain is side-effect.
Has anti-serotonin action besides antihistamine effect.
No web link available.
Pregnancy Category B |
Generic tablets
4 mg |
Adults:
Allergic rhinitis 4 mg up to 3 times a day.
Urticaria: 4 mg/3 times a day up to 0.5 mg/kg/day. |
Desloratadine |
Clarinex 5mg Tablets
Clarinex 5mg Reditab
Clarinex 2.5mg Reditab
Clarinex 2.5mg/5 mL Syrup |
Antihistamine
Rx |
Seasonal allergic rhinitis:
Age 2 and older
Perennial allergic rhinitis: 6 months and older
Chronic urticaria:
6 months and older |
Age 12 and older: 5 mg daily.
Age 6 to 11: 2.5mg daily.
Age 6 to 11 months: 2 mL = 1.0 mg daily. |
Non-sedating.
Clarinex Web site
Desloratadine is a refined version of loratadine (Claritin).
Pregnancy Class C |
Clarinex-D 12 Hour
Clarinex-D 14 Hour |
Antihistamine/decongestant
Rx |
Seasonal allergic rhinitis age 12 and older |
Age 12 and older:
Clarinex-D 12 Hour: 1 tablet every 12 hours.
Clarinex-D 24 Hour: 1 tablet once a day. |
This is an extended release tablet of a combination of Clarinex with pseudoephedrine so that nasal congestion is reduced.
Caution with conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and glaucoma.
Pregnancy Category C
Clarinex and Clarinex D Web site |
diphenhydramine |
Available as:
- Generic
- Benadryl
- Various combination products
|
Antihistamine
OTC
Rx (50mg) |
Seasonal allergic rhinitis
Urticaria
Motion sickness
Insomnia |
Age 2 to 6:
Under physician’s supervision.
Age 6 to 12:
12.5 to 25 mg every 4 to 6 hours.
Adults:
25 to 50 mg every 4 to 6 hours. |
May cause sedation.
Found in many combination products.
Pregnancy Category B
Benadryl Web site |
fexofenadine |
Allegra
30, 60 and 180 mg tablets
Allegra ODT 30 mg
Allegra Oral Suspension 30mg/5mL
Fexofenadine (generic)
30, 60 and 180 mg tablets |
Antihistamine
Rx |
Seasonal allergic rhinitis
Chronic urticaria |
Allegra Tablets:
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis
- Chronic urticaria
- 12 and older
- 60 mg twice daily or 180 mg once a day
- Age 6 to 11:
Allegra ODT:
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis
- Chronic urticaria:
- Age 6 to 11:
- One 30 mg ODT twice a day
Allegra Oral Suspension:
- Seasonal allergic rhinitis
- Chronic urticaria
- Age 6 months to 2 years:
- Age 2 to 11:
|
Non-sedating
Allegra Web site
Avoid taking Allegra with fruit juices such as apple, orange and grapefruit.
Best taken with water.
Allegra ODT can be taken without water.
Pregnancy Category C |
Allegra-D 12 Hour
Allegra-D 24 hour |
Antihistamine
Decongestant
Rx |
Seasonal allergic rhinitis |
Age 12 and older:
One tablet twice a day
The 24-hour tablet is one a day. |
Non-sedating
Allegra-D Package Insert
Not to be used by people with high blood pressure or narrow angle glaucoma.
Pregnancy Category C |
Hydroxyzine |
Hydroxyzine HCl:
Tablets: 10,25 and 50 mg
Hydroxyzine HCl Syrup: 10 mg/5 mL
Hydroxyzine pamoate and Vistaril:
Capsules 10, 25 and 50 mg
Oral Suspension: 25 mg/5 Ml
|
Antihistamine
Rx |
Itching associated with skin allergies |
Under 6: Discuss with physician.
Ages 6 to 12: 12.5 to 25 mg every 6 to 8 hours.
Age 12 and older: 25 to 50 mg every 6 to 8 hours. |
Very sedating
Also used for anxiety, nausea, sedation, insomnia.
Atarax = hydroxyzine HCl
Vistari = hydroxyzine pamoate
Vistaril Information from Pfizer
No pregnancy category, discuss with physician. |
levocetirizine |
Xyzal 5mg Tablet
Xyzal Oral Solution
(2.5mg = 5 mL) |
Antihistamine
Rx |
Seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis
Chronic urticaria |
Age 6 to 11: 1 teaspoon (5 mL) or ½ tablet once a day in PM.
Age 12 and older:
2 teaspoons (10mL) or 1 tablet each PM. |
Xyzal is a refined version of cetirizine (Zyrtec).
Sedating
Pregnancy Category B
Xyzal Web site
Adjust dose with kidney disease.
|
Loratadine |
Alavert Tablets
Claritin Tablets
Claritin RediTabs
Claritin Syrup
Generic versions |
Antihistamine
OTC |
Allergic rhinitis
Chronic urticaria |
Age 2 to 6: 5 mg daily.
Age 7 and above: 10 mg daily. |
Non-sedating
Alavert Web site
Claritin Web site
Pregnancy Category B |
Claritin-D 12 Hour
Claritin-D 24 Hour |
Antihistamine
Decongestant
OTC |
Allergic rhinitis |
Claritin D12 Hour: Age 12 and above, one tablet twice daily.
Claritin D24 Hour: One tablet daily in the AM. |
These are combinations of loratadine with pseudoephedrine.
Do not take if you have high blood pressure.
Claritin-D Information
Pregnancy Category C |
Montelukast |
Singulair
4 mg Chewable
4 mg Oral Granules
5 mg Chewable
10 mg Tablet |
Leukotriene antagonist |
Seasonal allergic rhinitis
(age 2 and older).
Perennial allergic rhinitis
(age 6 months and older). |
Age 6 to 23 months: Use granules, 4mg daily.
Age 2 to 5: One oral granule packet or 4 mg chewable tablet once a day.
Age 6 to 14: One 5 mg tablet once
Daily.
Age 15 and above: One 10 mg tablet once daily. |
Oral granules to be mixed with applesauce, carrots, rice or ice cream.
4 and 5 mg tablets are chewable.
This is the same medication that is also approved for asthma control.
Singulair Web site
Pregnancy Category B |