Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Desloratadine

 
Drug Info: Desloratadine
 

Brand names: Clarinex®, Clarinex® RediTabs

Chemical formula:



Desloratadine Oral disintegrating tablet

What is this medicine?

DESLORATADINE is an antihistamine. It helps to relieve sneezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes. This medicine is used to treat or prevent symptoms of allergies. It is also used to treat itchy skin rash and hives.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
• asthma
• kidney disease
• liver disease
• an unusual or allergic reaction to desloratadine, loratadine, other antihistamines, medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

Take this medicine by mouth, with or without water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. You may take this medicine with food or on an empty stomach. Leave the disintegrating tablet in the blister package until you are ready to take it. Peel open the blister pack with dry hands and place the tablet on your tongue. Allow the tablet to dissolve completely then swallow. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. This medicine has been used in children as young as 6 years.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. Anakinra is taken once every 24 hours. Do not take double or extra doses without advice.

What may interact with this medicine?

• other medicines for colds or allergies

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What should I watch for while using this medicine?

Visit your doctor or health care professional for checks on your progress. Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
• allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
• breathing problems
• fast heartbeat or chest pain
• fever or infection

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
• dry or irritated mouth or throat
• headache
• irritable
• menstrual changes
• muscle aches
• stomach upset, nausea

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where should I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Avoid excessive heat. Protect from moisture. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

Last updated: 7/1/2002

Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.

Search unanswered questions...
Enter a word or phrase...
All Community Q&A Reference topics
Wikipedia: Desloratadine
 
Desloratadine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
8-chloro-6,11-dihydro-11-(4-piperdinylidene)- 5H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridine
Identifiers
CAS number 100643-71-8
ATC code R06AX27
PubChem 124087
DrugBank APRD00324
Chemical data
Formula C19H19ClN2 
Mol. mass 310.82
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability Rapidly absorbed
Protein binding 85%
Metabolism Liver
Half life 27 hours
Excretion 40% as conjugated metabolites into urine
Similar amount into the feces
Therapeutic considerations
Licence data

EU EMEA:linkUS FDA:link

Pregnancy cat.

B1(AU) C(US)

Legal status

POM(UK) -only(US)

Routes oral

Desloratadine is a drug used to treat allergies. It is marketed under several trade names such as NeoClarityn, Claramax, Clarinex and Aerius. It is an active metabolite of loratadine, which is also on the market.

Contents

Available forms

Desloratadine is available as tablets (including orally disintegrating and extended release) and as syrup. [1]

Mechanism of action

Desloratadine is a tricyclic antihistamine, which has a selective and peripheral H1-antagonist action. It has a long-lasting effect and does not cause drowsiness because it does not readily enter the central nervous system.[2]

Side effects

Most common side-effects are fatigue, dry mouth, headache, and gastrointestinal disturbances.

Desloratadine vs. loratadine

Desloratadine is the major metabolite of loratadine. There are no head-to-head randomised controlled trials of the two drugs. A survey of patients dissatisfied with loratadine published in August 2003 reported equal or better satisfaction with desloratadine[3], concluding:

When severity of disease was controlled for in the analysis, a pattern emerged suggesting greater levels of satisfaction amongst loratadine dissatisfied patients who converted to desloratadine. Point estimates suggest a consistent pattern favoring desloratadine patient satisfaction, with statistically significant results reported for sum of adverse effects, nighttime awakening due to symptoms, symptom severity just prior to the next dose, and overall satisfaction (p < 0.05).

A November 2003 article published in the journal American Family Physician about the safety, tolerability, effectiveness, price, and simplicity of desloratadine concluded the following:[4]

Desloratadine is similar in effectiveness to fexofenadine and would be expected to produce results similar to loratadine and other nonsedating antihistamines. There is no clinical advantage to switching a patient from loratadine to desloratadine. However, it may be an option for patients whose medical insurance no longer covers loratadine if the co-pay is less than the cost of the over-the-counter product.

References

  1. ^ FDA Electronic Orange Book http://www.fda.gov/cder/ob/default.htm
  2. ^ Mann R, Pearce G, Dunn N, Shakir S (2000). "Sedation with "non-sedating" antihistamines: four prescription-event monitoring studies in general practice". BMJ 320 (7243): 1184–6. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7243.1184. PMID 10784544. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/320/7243/1184. 
  3. ^ Glass D, Harper A (August 13, 2003). "Assessing satisfaction with desloratadine and fexofenadine in allergy patients who report dissatisfaction with loratadine". BMC Fam Pract 4: 10. doi:10.1186/1471-2296-4-10. PMID 12917016. http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=12917016. 
  4. ^ See S (2003). "Desloratadine for allergic rhinitis". Am Fam Physician 68 (10): 2015–6. PMID 14655812. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20031115/steps.html. 

 
 
Learn More
Desloratadine; Pseudoephedrine
Desloratadine disintegrating tablets
Desloratadine; Pseudoephedrine Extended-Release Tablets

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Drug Info. Gold Standard. Copyright © 2008 by Gold Standard. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Desloratadine" Read more