What Is Claritin?
Claritin® (loratadine) is an antihistamine approved to treat the following allergy symptoms:
Runny nose
Sneezing
Itchy or watery eyes
Itchy nose or throat.
Claritin is also approved to treat itching due to hives, which may or may not be caused by allergies. The medication is available in combination with a decongestant (see Claritin-D). Although Claritin and Claritin-D® were originally prescription products, they are now available without a prescription. Compared to most non-prescription antihistamines, Claritin is much less likely to cause drowsiness.
(Click Claritin Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
Who Makes Claritin?
Brand-name Claritin is made by Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc. Generic versions of Claritin are made by various manufacturers.
How Does Claritin Work?
Allergies occur when the body's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances that do not bother most people. This reaction is partly caused by the release of histamine from certain cells in the body. Claritin is an antihistamine, which means it blocks histamine from binding to histamine receptors and causing allergy symptoms. Since histamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of allergies, blocking it can be helpful.
Lots of people get nasal congestion due to allergies. However, antihistamines don't help with this particular allergy symptom (since congestion isn't caused by histamine). In order to treat congestion, it is necessary to add a nasal decongestant (such as pseudoephedrine). Claritin comes in a combination product that contains pseudoephedrin (Claritin-D), just for this purpose.
Histamine is also responsible for the formation of hives (whether they are caused by allergies or not). By blocking histamine, Claritin can alleviate the itching due to hives as well.
When and How to Take Claritin
General considerations for when and how to take Claritin include the following:
Claritin comes in several forms, including tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, and syrup. It is usually taken by mouth once daily, although one product (Claritin 12-Hour RediTabs®) is taken twice a day.
You can take Claritin with or without food. If the medication seems to bother your stomach, try taking it with food.
Claritin RediTabs (orally disintegrating tablets) dissolve rapidly on the tongue with no need for water. They are a good option for people who have trouble swallowing tablets.
Try to take Claritin at the same time each day to keep an even level in your blood.
Some people need to take Claritin all year long, while others take it only during allergy season.
For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as directed by the package labeling. Please read the label closely.
Dosing Information for Claritin
The dose of Claritin that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
Your age
Other medical conditions you may have.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
(Click Claritin Dosage for more information.)
