Zyrtec Special Precautions

FC tab: Alcohol: At therapeutic doses, no clinically significant interactions have been demonstrated with alcohol (for a blood alcohol level of 0.5 g/L). Nevertheless, precaution is recommended if alcohol is taken concomitantly.
Increased risk of urinary retention: Caution should be taken in patients with predisposition factors of urinary retention (e.g. spinal cord lesion, prostatic hyperplasia) as cetirizine may increase the risk of urinary retention.
Patients at risk of convulsions: Caution is recommended in epileptic patients and patients at risk of convulsions.
Allergy skin tests: Response to allergy skin tests are inhibited by antihistamines and a wash-out period (of 3 days) is required before performing them.
Excipients: Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take cetirizine film-coated tablets.
Skin reactions: Pruritus and/or urticaria may occur when cetirizine is stopped, even if those symptoms were not present before treatment initiation. In some cases, the symptoms may be intense and may require treatment to be restarted. The symptoms should resolve when the treatment is restarted.
Effects on ability to drive and use machines: Objective measurements of driving ability, sleep latency and assembly line performance have not demonstrated any clinically relevant effects at the recommended dose of 10 mg. However, patients who experience somnolence should refrain from driving, engaging in potentially hazardous activities or operating machinery. They should not exceed the recommended dose and should take their response to the medicinal product into account.
Use in children: The use of the film-coated tablet formulation is not recommended in children aged less than 6 years since this formulation does not allow for appropriate dose adaptation. It is recommended to use Zyrtec Oral Solution.
Oral soln: At therapeutic doses, no clinically significant interactions have been demonstrated with alcohol (for a blood alcohol level of 0.5 g/L). Nevertheless, precaution is recommended if alcohol is taken concomitantly.
Caution in epileptic patients and patients at risk of convulsions is recommended.
Methyl parahydroxybenzoate and propyl parahydroxybenzoate included in the oral solution may cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed).
Effects on the Ability to Drive or Operate Machinery: Objective measurements of driving ability, sleep latency and assembly line performance have not demonstrated any clinically relevant effects at the recommended dose of 10 mg.
Patients intending to drive, engaging in potentially hazardous activities or operating machinery should not exceed the recommended dose and should take their response to the medicinal product into account.
In sensitive patients, concurrent use with alcohol or other CNS depressants may cause additional reductions in alertness and impairment of performance.
Use in children: The use of the Zyrtec film-coated tablet is not recommended in children <6 years since Zyrtec does not allow for appropriate dose adaptation. It is recommended to use a paediatric formulation of cetirizine.
Due to the amount of some excipients in the formulation, the oral solution is not recommended in children <2 years.