II. Indications
III. Mechanism
- Second Generation Antihistamine
- Loratadine and Desloratadine are less potent than Allegra and Zyrtec
- Deloratadine is the active isomer of Loratadine (and therefore dosed at 50%)
IV. Dosing: Desloratadine (Clarinex)
- Deloratadine is the active isomer of Loratadine
- Released in 2001, just before the Loratadine patent expired in 2002
- FDA approved for perennial allergies in age >=6 months (seasonal allergies in age >=2 years)
- Available by prescription only
- Tablets 5 mg
- Dissolving tablets 2.5 to 5 mg
- Syrup 0.5 mg/ml
- Adult (ages 12 and over): 5 mg orally daily
- Child (ages 6-11 years): 2.5 mg orally daily to twice daily
- Preschool (ages 12 months to 5 years): 1.25 mg orally daily
- Infant (ages 6-12 months): 1 mg orally daily
V. Dosing: Loratadine (Claritin)
- FDA approved for age >=2 years
- Available OTC
- Tablets 10 mg
- Dissolving tablets 5 to 10 mg
- Syrup 1mg/ml
- Adult Dose (ages 6 and over): 10 mg orally daily
- Child Dose (ages 2-5 years): 5 mg orally daily
- Decrease dose or spread out doses (every other day) in hepatic insufficiency or Renal Insufficiency
VI. Safety
VII. Adverse Effects
- See Antihistamine
- Drowsiness
- Although labeled as non-sedating, these Antihistamines may still cause sedation (esp. Cetirizine)
- Sedation may be least likely with Loratadine (Claritin) at lower doses, and Fexofenadine (Allegra) at any dose
- Loratadine may be sedating at higher doses
VIII. References
- Howarth (1999) J Allergy Clin Immunol 104:927 [PubMed]
- Walsh (2001) Drugs 61:207 [PubMed]
- (2001) Med Lett Drugs Ther 43(1103):35
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Related Studies
| loratadine (on 2/22/2023 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing) | ||
| LORATADINE 10 MG ODT | Generic OTC | $0.36 each |
| LORATADINE 10 MG TABLET | Generic OTC | $0.06 each |
| LORATADINE 5 MG/5 ML SOLUTION | Generic OTC | $0.04 per ml |
| LORATADINE 5 MG/5 ML SYRUP | Generic OTC | $0.04 per ml |
| LORATADINE ALLERGY 5 MG/5 ML | Generic OTC | $0.04 per ml |
| LORATADINE-D 12 HOUR TABLET | Generic OTC | $0.76 each |
| LORATADINE-D 24HR TABLET | Generic OTC | $0.57 each |
| desloratadine (on 12/21/2022 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing) | ||
| DESLORATADINE 5 MG TABLET | Generic | $0.34 each |
| clarinex (on 1/14/2022 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing) | ||
| CLARINEX-D 12 HR 2.5-120 MG TB | $5.07 each | |