What is Cetirizine?
Category: Over the Counter Drugs
Most popular types: Zyrtec Members Mark Cetirizine Wal-Zyr Show all
See also: Zyrtec-D
Cetirizine HCl is an antihistamine used for the relief of indoor and outdoor allergy symptoms. It also treats itching due to chronic hives.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal allergy | 622 | 96 | |
| Allergic rhinitis | 337 | 50 | |
| Perennial allergy | 199 | 28 | |
| Chronic idiopathic hives | 127 | 12 | |
| Idiopathic angioedema | 114 | 9 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 16 | |
| Moderate | 21 | |
| Mild | 59 | |
| None | 251 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Cetirizine
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Drowsiness | 22 | |
| Dry mouth | 15 | |
| Sleepiness | 14 | |
| Excessive daytime sleepiness (somnolence) | 6 | |
| Fatigue | 4 | |
| Dizziness | 3 |
Why patients stopped taking Cetirizine
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Did not seem to work | 83 | |
| Other | 50 | |
| Doctor's advice | 32 | |
| Side effects too severe | 29 | |
| Course of treatment ended | 25 | |
| Expense | 17 | |
| Personal research | 7 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 5 |
Duration
Stopped taking Cetirizine
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 37 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 33 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 28 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 31 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 28 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 29 | |
| 10 years or more | 16 |
What people switch to and from
Patients started taking Cetirizine after stopping:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Fexofenadine (Allegra) | 2 | |
| Lamotrigine (Lamictal) | 1 | |
| Loratadine (Claritin) | 1 |
Patients stopped taking Cetirizine and switched to:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Fexofenadine (Allegra) | 7 | |
| Levocetirizine (Xyzal) | 5 | |
| Hydroxyzine (Vistaril) | 3 | |
| Montelukast (Singulair) | 3 | |
| Clemastine (Tavist Allergy/Sinus/Headache) | 1 |
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