Loratadine: instructions for use

pharmachologic effect

The therapeutic property of the drug is due to its pronounced antihistamine effect. It belongs to the 2nd generation drugs, due to which a longer pharmacological effect is observed. It does not affect the nervous or cardiovascular systems and is characterized by the absence of sedation.

Loratadine exhibits a complex pharmacological effect, helping to relieve itching, exudative processes and other signs of allergy. Helps reduce tissue swelling and relieve muscle spasms.

The therapeutic effect is observed an hour after taking the drug and persists throughout the day.

Effect of the drug

The allergy medicine blocks histamine-sensitive receptors, which prevents them from being released from mast cells. As a result, the allergic reaction recedes or the symptoms of its manifestation are alleviated. After taking Loratadine, swelling and itching decrease. In addition, the product allows you to relax spasmodic smooth muscles.

The first noticeable result can be seen 30-40 minutes after administration. The maximum effect is achieved after 8-10 hours and lasts for a day. The components do not depress the central nervous system and are not addictive.

What is Loratadine taken for?

An antihistamine is prescribed for the treatment of:

1. Dermatitis, especially contact dermatitis.
2. Rhinita.
3. Allergic conditions of delayed and immediate type.
4. Eczema in the chronic stage.
5. Conjunctivitis.
6. Insect bites.
7. Urticaria in acute and chronic forms.
8. Attacks of bronchial asthma.
9. Hay fever.

Pharmacokinetics

Loratadine is quickly and completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The time to reach maximum concentration in blood plasma is 1.3 - 2.5 hours. Eating increases the time to reach maximum concentration by 1 hour. In elderly people, the maximum concentration in plasma increases by 50%; in alcoholic liver damage, the maximum concentration increases with increasing severity of the disease. Protein binding - 97%. Loratadine is metabolized in the liver to form the active metabolite descarboethoxyloratadine with the participation of cytochrome p450 isoenzymes CYP3A4 and, to a lesser extent, CYP2D6. Equilibrium concentrations of loratadine and metabolite in plasma are achieved on the fifth day of administration. The half-life varies from 3 to 20 hours (average 8.4 hours), the active metabolite - 8.8 - 92 hours (average 28 hours); in elderly patients, respectively - 6.7 - 37 hours (average 18.2 hours) and 11 - 38 hours (17.5 hours). In alcoholic liver damage, the half-life increases with increasing severity of the disease. Excreted from the body with urine and bile. In patients with chronic renal failure and during hemodialysis, the pharmacokinetics of loratadine remain virtually unchanged.

Side effects

As a result of neglecting the instructions for use and medical prescriptions, side effects may develop. The most common among them are:

1. Dizziness and headache.
2. Sleep disturbance, drowsiness or insomnia.
3. Fatigue, malaise.
4. Dyspeptic disorders.
5. Hair loss.
6. Allergic signs.
7. Strong feeling of hunger.
8. Changes in liver function.

In young children from 2 years of age, after using the syrup, headaches, psycho-emotional disturbances, anxiety, fatigue and increased agitation were observed.

Is Loratadine safe for pregnant women?

The instructions for use in the “Contraindications” section do not say anything about taking Loratadine during pregnancy. The drug should not be given only during breastfeeding.

Taking medication during pregnancy is acceptable provided that the possible benefits outweigh the possible side effects and consequences. If possible, you should stop taking any medications in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, when the fetus is not yet strong enough.

During pregnancy, the following adverse reactions may occur: lack of appetite, nausea, dizziness, changes in heartbeat.

How to take Loratadine

Adult patients and children over 12 years of age are prescribed the drug at a dose of 10 mg per day.

Persons with liver pathologies are recommended to take the drug once every two days in an amount of 10 mg or daily no more than 5 mg.

It is advisable to drink tablets and syrup 10-15 minutes before meals.

For kidney disease and the elderly, no dosage adjustment is required.

The duration of the course of therapy depends on the diagnosis and clinical picture, and is determined by the doctor.

On average, Loratadine is taken for 1-2 weeks. If there is no therapeutic effect, the course may be increased to a month.

If necessary, Loratadine can be combined with other drugs in severe allergic reactions.

Composition and release form

Several companies are involved in the production of the drug. Regardless of the manufacturer, all drugs have the same active ingredient, the same indications, contraindications and adverse reactions.

Available in the following forms:

• pills;
• effervescent tablets;
• syrup.

The active ingredient is loratadine. 1 tablet (including effervescent) contains 10 mg of active ingredient, 5 ml of syrup - 5 mg.

In addition to the active component, the syrup contains other excipients: citric acid, ethanol, water, glycerin, flavoring.

Additional components in the tablets are: corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose, calcium stearate.

Effervescent tablets additionally contain: citric acid, lactose, sodium carbonate, silicon dioxide.

special instructions

In some cases, an antihistamine may cause a dependent sedative effect.

One of the side effects of Loratadine is drowsiness, but it does not affect driving.

If you need to test for an allergen, you should avoid taking the medication a week before the intended procedure.

The drug is based on lactose, so it is contraindicated for persons with intolerance or poor absorption of this substance.

The syrup is prescribed with caution to patients with diabetes mellitus, since refined sugar is included in the composition.

Loratadine No. 10

Hypersensitivity to loratadine and other components of the drug; lactose intolerance, lactase deficiency, glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome; breastfeeding period; children under 3 years of age and body weight less than 30 kg.

Overdose

Symptoms: headache, drowsiness, tachycardia. In case of overdose, consult a doctor immediately.

Treatment: symptomatic and supportive therapy. It is possible to lavage the stomach, take adsorbents (crushed activated carbon with water).

Loratadine is not eliminated by hemodialysis. After emergency care is provided, it is necessary to continue monitoring the patient's condition.

Side effect

In clinical studies involving children aged 2 to 12 years, headache (2.7%), nervousness (2.3%), fatigue (1%) were observed more often than in the placebo group (dummies). ).

In clinical trials in adults, adverse events observed more frequently than with placebo occurred in 2% of patients receiving loratadine. In adults, when using the drug, headache (0.6%), drowsiness (1.2%), increased appetite (0.5%) and insomnia (0.1%) were observed more often than in the placebo group. In addition, there have been very rare post-marketing reports (< 1/10,000) of dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth, gastrointestinal disorders (nausea, gastritis), allergic reactions such as rash, anaphylaxis including angioedema, alopecia , liver dysfunction, palpitations, tachycardia and convulsions.

If any of the side effects indicated in the instructions get worse, or you notice any other side effects not listed in the instructions, tell your doctor.

Interaction with other drugs

• Eating does not affect the effectiveness of loratadine.
• Loratadine does not potentiate the effect of alcohol on the central nervous system.
• When loratadine is taken together with erythromycin, ketoconazole or cimetidine, an increase in the concentration of loratadine and its active metabolite in the blood plasma is observed, but this increase is not clinically significant, including according to ECG data.

Carefully

Severe liver dysfunction; pregnancy (see section “Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding”).

*for more details, see the instructions for medical use of the drug LP-005753

How much does Loratadine cost?

The price of Loratadine depends on which company produced this drug. So, for example, the price of Loratadine tablets from OJSC “Tatkhimfarmpreparaty” is 27-35 rubles. for package No. 10, and 7 tablets of Loratadine-Teva can be bought for an average of 150 rubles. The price of syrup is 125-150 rubles.

Loratadine price in Ukraine from 5.8 UAH. This is how much Loratadine Stoma produced in Kharkov costs. The price for the drug from the pharmaceutical company Darnitsa is slightly higher - approximately 9-11 UAH. The average price of syrup is 28 UAH.

Loratadine is not available in ointment form, but in pharmacies you can find nasal ointment “ Grippferon with loratadine”. The drug is used to treat influenza and ARVI, including in patients with allergic rhinitis. You can buy it for an average of 200 rubles.

• Online pharmacies in RussiaRussia
• Online pharmacies in UkraineUkraine

ZdravCity

• Loratadine-Akrikhin tablets 10 mg 30 pcs. JSC Akrikhin
  269 rub. order
• Loratadine tablets 10 mg 30 pcs. OzonOzon LLC

  89 rub. order

• Loratadine-Teva tablets 10 mg 10 pcs. Pharmaceutical plant Teva Private Co. LTD

  134 RUR order

• Loratadine-Akrikhin tablets 10 mg 7 pcs. JSC Akrikhin

  107 RUR order

• Loratadine-Akrikhin tablets 10 mg 10 pcs. JSC Akrikhin

  118 RUR order

Pharmacy Dialogue

• Loratadine tablets 10 mg No. 10Teva

  123 RUR order

• Loratadine tablets 10 mg No. 30Teva

  RUB 254 order

• Desloratadine Canon tablets 5 mg No. 10Canonpharma Production

  RUB 183 order

• Loratadin-Akrikhin tablets 10 mg No. 30Akrikhin OJSC

  RUB 232 order

• Loratadin-Akrikhin tablets 10 mg No. 10Akrikhin OJSC

  100 rub. order

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Pharmacy24

• Loratadine syrup 1 mg/ml 90 ml TOV DKP Pharm.Fabrika, Ukraine
  27 UAH order
• Desloratadine 5 mg No. 10 tablets PrAT "Technolog", Uman, Cherkasy region, Ukraine

  31 UAH order

• Loratadine 0.01g No. 10 tablets TOV Astrapharm, Ukraine

  9 UAH order

• Loratadine 0.01g No. 10 tablets PAT "Farmak", Ukraine

  7 UAH order

• Loratadine 100 mg No. 20 tablets PAT "Farmak", Ukraine

  13 UAH order

Indications for use of Loratadine: why are these tablets and syrup?

What is Loratadine tablets for?

Loratadine tablets are used for the symptomatic treatment of allergic diseases . The drug is effective for allergic rhinitis (year-round or seasonal), urticaria (acute or chronic), allergic conjunctivitis , allergies to insect bites , Quincke's edema , pseudoallergic reactions to histamine liberators, chronic eczema , contact dermatitis .

Indications for use of Loratadine in syrup form

The syrup is intended for use in pediatric practice. In particular, it is used to treat children from 24 months to 12 years weighing up to 30 kg.

The drug quickly and effectively relieves the symptoms of CHI ( chronic idiopathic urticaria ), allergic rhinitis (including “hay fever”), allergic conjunctivitis , allergic pruritic dermatoses (in combination with other drugs), as well as pseudoallergic reactions and reactions to bites of histamine insects

Analogues of Loratadine

Level 4 ATX code matches:
Dezal

Histaphene

Clarisens

Telfast

Erius

Claridol

Claritin

Fexofast

Peritol

Desloratadine

LauraHEXAL

Clarotadine

Rupafin

Ciel

Dramamine

Lordestin

Lomilan

Fenkarol

Kestin

Loratek

Analogs of Loratadine in composition (synonyms): Loratadine-Teva , Loratadine-Verte , Loratadine Stoma , Loratadine Stada , Loratadine -OBL , Alerpriv , Clalergin , Clargotil , Clarisens Claridol , Claritin , Clarifer , Clarotadine , Lomilan , Lomilan Solo , LoraGexal , Lotharen , Erolyn .

Similar drugs with a similar mechanism of action: Allerfex , Diazolin , Dimebon , Dinox , Ketotifen , Nalorius , Peritol , Telfast , Fenkarol , Erius , Desloratadine .

Which is better - Loratadine or Claritin?

The main component of Claritin is loratadine (and the substance is contained in tablets and syrup in the same concentration as in Loratadine).

Although pharmaceutically equivalent, the drugs differ significantly in price. Claritin, produced by Schering-Plough, is an order of magnitude more expensive than its Russian counterpart.

Loratadine and Desloratadine, differences

Desloratadine is the primary metabolite of Loratadine, but it already belongs to the 3rd generation of antihistamines .

Their fundamental difference from their predecessors is that they are unable to influence the QT interval.

2nd generation drugs can block potassium channels in the heart muscle, which is associated with the development of arrhythmia and prolongation of the QT interval. You are more likely to experience this side effect:

• when Loratadine is combined with macrolides , antimycotics , antidepressants ;
• when using the drug with grapefruit juice;
• in patients with severe liver dysfunction .

Comparative studies of Loratadine and Desloratadine (in comparable doses) showed no differences between their toxicity indicators (both quantitative and qualitative).

Which is better: Cetirizine or Loratadine?

Cetirizine is antihistamine , a highly selective antagonist of peripheral H1-type histamine receptors. The properties common to all second-generation drugs are:

• rapid onset of effect;
• minimal severity of anticholinergic and sedative effects when used in therapeutic doses;
• duration of action;
• absence of tachyphylaxis due to long-term use.

The drug is characterized by the ability to penetrate well into the skin, thereby effectively eliminating skin manifestations of allergies .

During post-marketing studies , rare but potentially serious side effects were reported cetirizine hemolytic anemia , anaphylaxis , aggressive reaction, seizures, cholestasis , hallucinations, glomerulonephritis , suicidality and suicide, hepatitis , severe hypotension , orofacial dyskinesia , stillbirth , thrombocytopenia .

Cetrin or Loratadine - which is better?

Cetrin is a more expensive analogue of Cetirizine . Its basis is the same active ingredient - cetirizine . The drug is preferable for relieving skin manifestations of allergies .