Alavert-D 12-Hour (Oral)

Generic name: loratadine and pseudoephedrine (oral route) [ lor-A-ta-deen, soo-doe-e-FED-rin-SUL-fate ]
Drug class: Upper respiratory combinations

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 26, 2023.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Alavert-D 12-Hour
• Allergy & Congestion Relief
• Claritin-D
• Claritin-D 12-Hour
• Claritin-D 24-Hour
• Clear-Atadine D

Available Dosage Forms:

• Tablet, Extended Release
• Tablet, Extended Release, 24 HR
• Tablet, Extended Release, 12 HR

Therapeutic Class: Antihistamine, Less-Sedating/Decongestant Combination

Pharmacologic Class: Antihistamine, Less-Sedating

Chemical Class: Piperidine

Uses for Alavert-D 12-Hour

Loratadine and pseudoephedrine combination is used to relieve symptoms of allergies and cold, including runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and itching of the eyes, nose or throat. It also helps reduce swelling of the nasal passages and restores easier breathing through the nose.

This medicine is available as an over-the-counter (OTC) product.

Before using Alavert-D 12-Hour

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of loratadine and pseudoephedrine combination in children 12 years of age and older. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 12 years of age.

Geriatric

No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of loratadine and pseudoephedrine combination in geriatric patients.

Breastfeeding

Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Dihydroergotamine
• Furazolidone
• Iproniazid
• Isocarboxazid
• Linezolid
• Methylene Blue
• Moclobemide
• Nialamide
• Phenelzine
• Procarbazine
• Rasagiline
• Safinamide
• Selegiline
• Tranylcypromine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Amiodarone
• Carbamazepine
• Guanethidine
• Iobenguane I 123
• Iobenguane I 131
• Methyldopa
• Midodrine
• Pitolisant

Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Other medical problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetes or
• Heart disease or
• High blood pressure or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease or
• Thyroid problems or
• Trouble urinating caused by enlarged prostate—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

Proper use of Alavert-D 12-Hour

This section provides information on the proper use of a number of products that contain loratadine and pseudoephedrine. It may not be specific to Alavert-D 12-Hour. Please read with care.

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

Follow the instructions on the medicine label.

Swallow the extended-release tablet whole with a full glass of water. Do not divide, crush, chew, or dissolve it.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor''s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For symptoms of allergies and cold:
  • For oral dosage form (12 hour extended-release tablets):
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and older—One tablet every 12 hours. Each tablet contains 5 milligrams (mg) loratadine and 120 mg pseudoephedrine. Do not take more than 2 tablets in 24 hours.
    • Children younger than 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
  • For oral dosage form (24 hour extended-release tablets):
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and older—One tablet once a day. Each tablet contains 10 milligrams (mg) loratadine and 240 mg pseudoephedrine. Do not take more than one tablet in 24 hours.
    • Children younger than 12 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Do not use this medicine if the blister pack is open or torn.

Precautions while using Alavert-D 12-Hour

If your or your child''s symptoms do not improve within 7 days, or if they become worse (with fever), check with your doctor.

Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI), including Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, or Parnate® within the past 2 weeks.

Alavert-D 12-Hour side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

• Dizziness
• drowsiness
• nervousness
• trouble sleeping

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Alaway

Generic name: ketotifen ophthalmic [ kee-toe-TYE-fen-off-THAL-mik ]
Brand names: Alaway, Claritin Eye, Refresh Eye Itch Relief, Zaditor
Drug class: Ophthalmic antihistamines and decongestants

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com on Apr 29, 2022. Written by Cerner Multum.

What is Alaway?

Ketotifen is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Alaway (for use in the eyes) is used to treat itching of the eyes caused by allergy to dust, pollen, animals, or other allergens.

Alaway may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Warnings

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Alaway if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• an untreated eye infection; or

• eye irritation caused by wearing contact lenses.

Alaway is not approved for use by anyone younger than 3 years old.

How should I use Alaway?

Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Do not use Alaway while wearing contact lenses. Alaway may contain a preservative that can discolor soft contact lenses. Wait at least 10 minutes after using this medicine before putting in your contact lenses.

Wash your hands before using the eye drops.

To apply the eye drops:

• Tilt your head back slightly and pull down your lower eyelid to create a small pocket. Hold the dropper above the eye with the tip down. Look up and away from the dropper and squeeze out a drop.

• Close your eyes for 2 or 3 minutes with your head tipped down, without blinking or squinting. Gently press your finger to the inside corner of the eye for about 1 minute, to keep the liquid from draining into your tear duct.

• Use only the number of drops your doctor has prescribed. If you use more than one drop, wait about 5 minutes between drops.

• Wait at least 10 minutes before using any other eye drops your doctor has prescribed.

Do not touch the tip of the eye dropper or place it directly on your eye. A contaminated dropper can infect your eye, which could lead to serious vision problems.

Do not use the eye drops if the liquid has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.

Call your doctor if your eye itching does not improve, or if it lasts longer than 72 hours.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not freeze. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of Alaway is not expected to be dangerous. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 if anyone has accidentally swallowed the medication.

What should I avoid while using ketotifen ophthalmic?

Do not use other eye medications unless your doctor tells you to.

Alaway side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Alaway may cause serious side effects. Stop using Alaway and call your doctor at once if you have:

• redness, drainage, eyelid swelling, or other signs of infection;

• eye pain;

• vision changes; or

• severe itching of the eyes worse than before using the medication.

Common side effects of Alaway may include:

• mild burning, stinging, or eye irritation;

• dryness of the eyes; or

• increased sensitivity to light.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Alaway?

It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on ketotifen used in the eyes. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all medicines you use, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

Where can I get more information?

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.02.