OTC (Over-the-Counter) Oral Allergy Treatments
| OTC (OVER-THE-COUNTER) ORAL ALLERGY TREATMENTS** | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generic & Class | Brand & Company | Strength | FormulationsΔ | Usual Dose |
| FIRST GENERATION H1 ANTAGONIST ANTIHISTAMINE | ||||
| Chlorpheniramine maleate | CHLOR-TRIMETON
(Merck) |
4mg | tabs | Children: <2years: not recommended.
2–5years: 1mg. 6–11years: 2mg. Both: every 4–6 hours.
Adults: 4mg every 4–6 hours. |
| CHLOR-TRIMETON SYRUP†
(Merck) |
2mg/5mL | syrup | ||
| CHLOR-TRIMETON 8HR ALLERGY
(Merck) |
8mg | sust-rel tabs | Children: <6years: not recommended. 6–12years: 8mg
once daily.
Adults: 8mg every 8 hours |
|
| CHLOR-TRIMETON 12HR ALLERGY
(Merck) |
12mg | sust-rel tabs | Children: Use other forms.
Adults: 12mg every 12 hours. |
|
| Clemastine (as fumarate) | TAVIST ALLERGY
(Novartis Consumer Health) |
1mg | tabs+ | Children: Not recommended.
Adults: 1mg every 12 hours. |
| Diphenhydramine HCl | BENADRYL ALLERGY
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
25mg | caps; tabs; liq-filled softgels◊ | Children: <6years: individualize. 6–12years:
12.5–25mg every 4–6 hours; max 150mg/day.
Adults: 25–50mg every 4–6 hours; max 300mg/day. |
| BENADRYL ALLERGY CHEWABLES*‡
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
12.5mg | chew tabs | ||
| BENADRYL ALLERGY LIQUID‡
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
12.5mg/5mL | liq◊^∑ | ||
| BENADRYL PERFECT MEASURE‡
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
12.5mg/5mL | liq; pre-filled, single use spoons^ | ||
| PEDIACARE CHILDREN'S ALLERGY‡
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
12.5mg/5mL | liq | Children: <4years: do not use. 4–5years: not recommended. 6–11years: 5mL every 4 hours; max 6 doses/24hrs. | |
| TRIAMINIC THIN STRIPS ALLERGY
(Novartis Consumer Health) |
12.5mg | strips | Adults and Children: Dissolve strip on tongue. <4yrs: do not use. 4–6yrs: individualize. 6–12yrs: 1 or 2 strips every 4–6 hours as needed; max 6 doses/24hrs. | |
| SECOND GENERATION H1 ANTAGONIST ANTIHISTAMINE | ||||
| Cetirizine | CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC ALLERGY SYRUP
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
1mg/mL | syrup◊∑ | Adults and Children: Chew tabs: may take with or without water. For doses <5mg: use syrup. <2years: not recommended. 2–6years: initially 2.5mg once daily; max 5mg once daily or 2.5mg every 12 hours. ≥6years: initially 5–10mg once daily. ≥65years: use chew tabs or syrup: 5mg once daily. Hepatic or renal impairment: individualize. |
| CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC CHEWABLE
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
5mg, 10mg | chew tabs | ||
| ZYRTEC
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
10mg | tabs | ||
| ZYRTEC PERFECT MEASURE
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
1mg/mL | liq; pre-filled, single use spoons◊^∑ | ||
| CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC HIVES RELIEF SYRUP
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
1mg/mL | syrup | Adults and Children: <6years: not recommended. ≥6years: initially 5–10mg once daily. ≥65years: use syrup: 5mg once daily. Hepatic or renal impairment: individualize. | |
| ZYRTEC HIVES RELIEF
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
10mg | tabs | ||
| ZYRTEC LIQUID GELS
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
10mg | liq-filled gels | Adults and Children: <6years: not recommended. ≥6years: 10mg once daily. Hepatic or renal impairment: individualize | |
| Fexofenadine HCl | ALLEGRA
(Sanofi Aventis) |
60mg
180mg |
tabs | Children: Use Children's Allegra.
Adults: 180mg once daily or 60mg twice daily. Renal impairment: initially 60mg once daily. |
| CHILDREN'S ALLEGRA
(Sanofi Aventis) |
30mg | tabs | Children: <6yrs: not recommended. ≥6yrs: 1 tab
every 12 hours; max 2 tabs/24hrs.
Adults: 2 tabs every 12 hours; max 4 tabs/24hrs. |
|
| CHILDREN'S ALLEGRA ODT
(Sanofi Aventis) |
30mg | ODT | Children: <6yrs: not recommended. ≥6yrs: Place tab on
tongue and allow to disintegrate with or without water. 1 tab every 12 hours;
max 2 tabs/24hrs.
Adults: Place tab on tongue and allow to disintegrate with or without water. 2 tabs every 12 hours; max 4 tabs/24hrs. |
|
| CHILDREN'S ALLEGRA ORAL SUSPENSION
(Sanofi Aventis) |
30mg/5mL | susp | Children: <2yrs: not recommended. ≥2yrs: 5mL every
12 hours; max 10mL/24hrs.
Adults: 10mL every 12 hours; max 20mL/24hrs. |
|
| Loratadine | ALAVERT ODT*
(Pfizer) |
10mg | ODT | Adults and Children: <6yrs: not recommended. ≥6yrs: Dissolve on tongue; swallow with or without water. 10mg once daily. |
| CHILDREN'S CLARITIN CHEWABLES*
(Merck) |
5mg | chew tabs | Adults and Children: <2years: not recommended. 2–5years: 5mg once daily. ≥6years: 10mg once daily or 5mg twice daily. Hepatic or renal insufficiency: see literature. RediTabs: dissolve on tongue; swallow with or without water. Liqui-Gels: swallow whole. | |
| CHILDREN'S CLARITIN SYRUP‡
(Merck) |
1mg/mL | syrup◊^∑ | ||
| CLARITIN
(Merck) |
10mg | tabs | ||
| CLARITIN LIQUI-GELS
(Merck) |
10mg | liquid-filled caps | ||
| CLARITIN REDITABS 12-HOUR
(Merck) |
5mg | ODT | ||
| CLARITIN REDITABS 24-HOUR
(Merck) |
10mg | ODT | ||
| CLARITIN HIVES RELIEF
(Merck) |
10mg | tabs | Adults and Children: <6years: not recommended. ≥6years: 10mg once daily. Hepatic or renal insufficiency: see literature. | |
| COMBINED ANTIHISTAMINE + SYMPATHOMIMETIC | ||||
| Cetirizine HCl | ZYRTEC-D 12 HOUR
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
5mg | ext-rel tabs | Children: Not recommended.
Adults: Swallow whole. 1 tab twice daily. Hepatic or renal impairment (CrCl ≤31mL/min): 1 tab once daily. |
| Pseudoephedrine HCl | 120mg | |||
| Chlorpheniramine maleate | SUDAFED SINUS & ALLERGY
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
4mg | tabs | Children: <6years: individualize.
6–11years: ½ tab every 4–6 hours as needed; max 4 doses/24hrs.
Adults: 1 tab every 4–6 hours as needed; max 4 doses/24hrs. |
| Pseudoephedrine HCl | 60mg | |||
| Diphenhydramine HCl | CHILDREN'S BENADRYL-D ALLERGY/SINUS LIQUID‡
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
12.5mg/5mL | liq^∑ | Children: <6years: individualize.
6–11years: 5mL. Repeat every 4 hours as needed.
Adults: 10mL every 4 hours. |
| Phenylephrine HCl | 5mg/5mL | |||
| Diphenhydramine HCl | BENADRYL-D ALLERGY/SINUS
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
25mg | tabs | Children: Use liquid form.
Adults: 1 tab every 4 hours. |
| Phenylephrine HCl | 10mg | |||
| Loratadine | ALAVERT D-12 HOUR
(Pfizer) |
5mg | ext-rel tabs | Children: Not recommended.
Adults: Swallow whole. 1 tab every 12 hours. |
| Pseudoephedrine sulfate | 120mg | |||
| Loratadine | CLARITIN-D 12 HOUR
(Merck) |
5mg | ext-rel tabs | Children: Not recommended.
Adults: Swallow whole. 1 tab every 12 hours. Renal insufficiency (CrCl <30mL/min): 1 tab once daily. |
| Pseudoephedrine sulfate | 120mg | |||
| Loratadine | CLARITIN-D 24 HOUR
(Merck) |
10mg | ext-rel tabs | Children: Not recommended.
Adults: Swallow whole. 1 tab daily. Renal insufficiency (CrCl <30mL/min): 1 tab every other day. |
| Pseudoephedrine sulfate | 240mg | |||
| Triprolidine HCl | SUDAFED SINUS NIGHTTIME
(McNeil Cons & Specialty) |
2.5mg | tabs | Children: <6years: individualize.
6–11years: ½ tab every 4–6 hours as needed; max 4 doses/24hrs.
Adults: 1 tab every 4–6 hours as needed; max 4 doses/24hrs. |
| Pseudoephedrine HCl | 60mg | |||
| NOTES | ||||
|
◊ = Dye-free; ^ = Alcohol-free; ∑ = Sugar-free; * = Contains phenylalanine; † = Contains alcohol; ‡ = Contains sodium (see product monograph for sodium content). Δcaps = capsules; tabs = tablets; ext-rel = extended-release; liq = liquid; ODT = orally disintegrating tablets; susp = suspension; sust-rel = sustained-release; tabs+ = scored tablets. **Not an inclusive list. Please see drug monographs or visit www.eMPR.com. (Rev. 9/2012) |
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