The active ingredient of Cetirizine is Cetirizine hydrochloride. It is an anti-allergic medication, prescribed to adults and children over the age of 6 years. The drug is used for providing relief from the symptoms of hay fever and allergies such as runny nose, blocked nose, itchiness, red and watery eyes, and also helps provide relief to swelling, redness and itchiness of skin due to chronic nettle rash.
Do not take Cetirizine if you are allergic to cetirizine hydrochloride or any other ingredients of the drug. If you suffer from a severe kidney disease, are allergic to drugs from the Piperazaine family, have problems of urinary retention or lactose intolerance you should avoid Cetirizine.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, should avoid this medicine. Check with your doctor beforehand, if you suffer from epilepsy and indicate all other medicines you are taking or have recently taken.
Cetirizine can lead to side effects in some people. Common ones include; - Fatigue - Sleepiness - Dry mouth - Diarrhea - Pain in abdomen - Asthenia - Malaise - Paresthesia - Tingling of hands and feet
Side effects such as a severe rash, itchiness, fever, swelling of throat, face, eyelids and lips or breathing problems, should be immediately reported to your doctor.
Cetirizine should be taken exactly as advised by the doctor. You should swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
The recommended dose in adults and adolescents above 12 years of age is a 10mg tablet once daily. The usual dose for children between 6 and 12 years of age is 5mg twice daily as half a tablet.
Patients with kidney problems are recommended to take 5mg once daily as half a tablet.
If you accidentally overdose on the tablets you should inform your doctor. It might cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, confusion, itching, restlessness, tremors etc. If you forget a dose, take it immediately when you remember it, but never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
The active ingredient Centrizine hydrochloride is an anti-histamine. Histamines are produced by the body as a defence mechanism. They are released when the body reacts to a substance which it perceives as being foreign and triggers a chain reaction resulting in allergic symptoms such as sneezing, itching, watery eyes and runny nose. Thereby Cetrizine works by preventing the release of histamine providing relief from allergic symptoms.
