How to use antihistamines

Article Figures & Tables

Table 1:

Summary of preferred antihistamines for allergy and urticaria

Antihistamine (standard single adult dose, mg)	Available in liquid form?	Prescription required?	Approval for children?		Evidence for safety during pregnancy/breastfeeding
Antihistamine (standard single adult dose, mg)	Available in liquid form?	Prescription required?	HC (age)	FDA^* (age)	Evidence for safety during pregnancy/breastfeeding
Bilastine (20)	No	Yes	N/A	N/A	Lack of data
Cetirizine (10)^†	Yes	No^‡	Yes (2 yr)	Yes (6 mo)	Yes
Desloratadine (5)^†	Yes	No	Yes (2 yr)	Yes (6 mo)	Yes
Fexofenadine(180)^†	No	No	N/A	N/A	Yes
Loratadine (10)^†	Yes	No^‡	Yes (2 yr)	Yes (1 yr)	Yes
Rupatadine (10)	Yes	Yes	Yes (2 yr)	N/A	Lack of data

Note: FDA = Food and Drug Administration, HC = Health Canada, N/A = not applicable.
↵* FDA and/or supporting randomized controlled trial evidence for efficacy and safety.
↵† Most affordable (see Appendix 1, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.201959/tab-related-content).
↵‡ Prescription not required, but can be prescribed and covered by some provincial plans as an affordable route of accessing this medication. However, prescriptions often have barriers to access (e.g., Exceptional Access Program forms with very low approval rates).