Antihistamines are generally viewed as safe, even for people with heart disease or high blood pressure. However, the FDA does state that antihistamines could elevate heart rate and blood pressure temporarily.
Antihistamines, which are commonly used to treat symptoms such as a runny nose or sneezing, are generally safe for patients with abnormal heart conditions. However, the FDA has warned that antihistamines taken in conjunction with some high blood pressure medications may cause a spike in blood pressure.
In the drug realm, antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), cetirizine (Zyrtec), and loratadine (Claritin) can help with a stuffy nose are safe for the heart.
The use of nonsedating antihistamines, widely used to treat allergies, has been associated with arrhythmias in various case reports [4–7]. The absolute risk of developing ventricular arrhythmias as a result of the use of these drugs is found to be very low: approximately 1 per 57000 prescriptions [8].
The most commonly reported side effects include somnolence, dizziness, and headache. Use these dosage charts for infants and children under 12 years old: Zyrtec Dosage Charts (Infants & Children)
Is it safe to take Zyrtec every day? Yep. "When taken in the recommended doses, antihistamines can be taken daily. This is especially true with Zyrtec, since it doesn't show decreasing effectiveness if used daily," says Sima Patel, MD, an allergist at New York Allergy & Sinus Centers.
Cetirizine is unlikely to do you any harm if you take it for a long time. However it's best to take cetirizine only for as long as you need to. If you take it regularly over a long period there's a very small chance of severe itching if you stop treatment suddenly.
A decongestant eases congestion by constricting the blood vessels in your nasal passages. This dries up nasal mucus. But these medications can also abnormally stimulate the heart and blood vessels throughout the body. “This can cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, or skipped beats.
Mechanism of Injury. The cause of acute liver injury from cetirizine is not known. It is metabolized by the liver and a toxic metabolite may account for idiosyncratic injury.
Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and cetirizine (Zyrtec) aren't known to raise blood pressure when used alone. Antihistamines are part of many combination over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products. They may be combined with a medication that can raise your blood pressure.
Allergists recommend long-acting, non-sedating antihistamines — ones that won't make you sleepy — for everyday use. Though you may know them by their brand names, the generic versions tackle the same problems: Cetirizine (Zyrtec®, Aller-Tec®, Wall-Zyr®). Fexofenadine (Allegra®, Aller-ease®, Aller-Fex®, Wal-Fex®).
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Telfast if: you have problems with your liver or kidneys. you have or ever had heart disease, since this kind of medicine may lead to a fast or irregular heart beat.
Is it safe to use antihistamines every day? In general, most of the available over-the-counter antihistamines are safe for long-term use. There are some potential side effects and there are some cases where long-term antihistamine use can worsen urinary retention or narrow angle glaucoma.
by Drugs.com
The elimination half-life of Zyrtec is between 8 to 9 hours. It takes approximately 5.5 x elimination half-life for a medicine to be cleared from your system. For Zyrtec this is 5.5 x 9 hours which is about 2 days.
When a person stops taking their medication, their body will produce more histamine to make up for the lack of antihistamine. This results in extreme itching. It's common for someone who's addicted to an antihistamine to scratch until they're raw and bleeding.
You should not use Zyrtec-D if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, severe high blood pressure (hypertension), severe coronary artery disease, if you are unable to urinate, or if you are allergic to hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril). Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days.
Sandoz issued a voluntary recall of 1,023,430 units of Zyrtec (10 mg) capsules as a result of failed impurities and a specification being reported for impurity at the 21-month stability time point, according to an FDA Enforcement Report.
Zyrtec may interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as other cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Rarely, they can cause acute self-limited liver injury. One study has reported a more serious long-term effect, a 3.5-fold increase in the risk of gliomas, a common type of brain tumor in patients with long-term antihistamine use for allergic conditions.
Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: difficulty urinating, fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat, shaking (tremor), mental/mood changes (such as anxiety, confusion, nervousness, restlessness), weakness.
So what can older adults safely take for allergy relief? Wozniak: Newer antihistamines such as Claritin® (loratadine) and Allegra® (fexofenadine) tend to be safer and better tolerated.
In general, wean gradually by 25-50% of the daily dose every 1-4 weeks. If reason for deprescribing is serious adverse effects, wean faster or cease immediately. Provide advice to patient/carer on self-monitoring and what to do if symptoms re-occur.
ZYRTEC® Allergy Relief Tablets
Adults under 65 and children 6 years and older One 10 mg tablet once daily; do not take more than one 10 mg tablet in 24 hours. A 5 mg product may be appropriate for less sever symptoms.