Cetirizine vs Loratadine: Difference and Comparison

In today’s busy life, because of our irregular habits and the environment we live in, people are facing a lot of health problems.

Allergy is the most common health problem faced by people these days. Cetirizine and Loratadine are the medications for the treatment of the allergy.

Key Takeaways

1. Cetirizine provides faster allergy relief than loratadine due to its higher antihistamine potency.
2. Loratadine causes fewer sedative side effects than cetirizine, making it a better choice for daytime use.
3. Both cetirizine and loratadine are available over-the-counter and effectively treat symptoms of allergies and hay fever.

Cetirizine vs Loratadine

The difference between Cetirizine and Loratadine is that Cetirizine reacts on the body faster, but its effect doesn’t last long, whereas loratadine has a much longer effect on the body. The side effects and the benefits of both medicines vary from each other. Both react differently under different body situations.

Cetirizine can be defined as the medication for treating allergic reactions such as swelling, itching, etc. The trade names for cetirizine are “All-day allergy” and Indoor/Outdoor allergy relief.

When on the dosage of cetirizine, a person should avoid activities that require focus because the medication impairs thinking. Allergic responses such as watery nose, itching throat, and nose, etc., are treated by cetirizine.

Loratadine can be defined as a medication that reduces the influence of naturally produced histamine in the body.

Histamine can be defined as the chemical responsible for the symptoms of allergy-like sneezing, itching nose, etc. It is also used for the treatment of skin hives. It is used for the treatment of upper respiratory allergies.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Cetirizine	Loratadine
Meaning	Medications for allergic reactions.	Medications for the treatment of histamine.
Dosage	5-10 mg for both children and adults.	5mg for the children of the age group of 2-6. 10mg for those who are above six years.
Side Effects	Insomnia, confusion, dry mouth, dizziness, etc.	Jaundice, increased heart rate, convulsions, etc.
Other Name	Zyrtec	Claritin
Time scales	Its effect doesn’t last long.	Its effect lasts longer.

What is Cetirizine?  

Cetirizine is the medication for treating allergic reactions such as itching the throat, sneezing, etc. It is frequently prescribed for treating allergies.

Some of the precautions are prescribed with every medication. After consuming Cetirizine, the activities that require focus should be avoided because the drug in the medicine impairs the thinking capacity.

The consumption of alcohol should be avoided after consumption of Cetirizine.

Cetirizine sometimes also leads to some side effects. Some side effects are confusion, restlessness, constipation, restlessness, tiredness, etc.

Its consumption should also be avoided during pregnancy as it may harm the unborn baby. Consumption of other drugs should also be avoided after cetirizine dosage because it leads to excessive sleep.

The dosage of cetirizine varies from 5mg to 10mg depending upon the person’s condition. The dosage for people suffering from kidney problems is lower. Cetirizine leads to drowsiness and makes one feel extra sleepy.

Cetirizine is not available in the form of tablets but in the form of eye drops for people who suffer from itchy eyes. It does not increase the risk of cancer as a long-term effect. Cetirizine is more frequently purchased than other allergy medicines.

What is Loratadine?

The term Loratadine can be defined as a medication that reduces the effect of histamine in the body. Claritin is the other name for loratadine. It is an antihistamine drug.

Some precautions should be considered during the consumption of loratadine. Patients who are suffering from diseases related to the kidney and liver should avoid the consumption of loratadine.

It should not be given to children below six years old as it may harm their bodies.

Considering different situations, Loratadine may have severe and minor side effects on the body,. Some severe side effects include jaundice, increased heart rate, etc., and the minor effects can be drowsiness, blurred vision, diarrhoea, etc.

Any other drug should not be taken simultaneously with loratadine.

After the dosage of loratadine, minerals and herbal products should be consumed with the doctor’s recommendation. The dosage should be taken according to the prescription. Loratadine does not have any harmful effects on the unborn baby.

Loratadine is available in the form of a pill and syrup. If a person overdoses the medicine, he may suffer from headaches and increased heartbeat.

The dosage of Loratadine varies from 5mg to 10mg depending upon the person’s age and condition. Usually, children are recommended less dosage than adults. 

Main Differences Between Cetirizine and Loratadine

1. Cetirizine is the medication for treating allergic reactions, whereas Loratadine is the medication for treating the effect of histamine in the body.  
2. The effect of cetirizine does not last long, but it provides instant relief, whereas the impact of loratadine lasts for a longer duration of time.  
3. Cetirizine is available in the form of eye drops, whereas loratadine is available in the form of syrup and pills as well.  
4. Cetirizine treats allergies such as sneezing, itching, etc., whereas Loratadine treats respiratory allergies.  
5. The side effects of Cetirizine are insomnia, confusion, dry throat, whereas the side effects of Loratadine are jaundice, high heart rate, etc.  
6. Cetirizine leads to more drowsiness, whereas Loratadine leads to less drowsiness. 

References 

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674905802106
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1081120610631043

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023