Alavert

Alavert Information

Brand Names: Alavert, Claritin

Generic Names: Loratadine

Other Common Names: Claritin D

Alavert (loratadine) is indicated for the relief of nasal and non-nasal symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis and for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria in patients 6 years of age or older.

Alavert Ingredients and Composition

How Does Alavert Work?

Loratadine, the active ingredient in Alavert, is a long-acting tricyclic antihistamine with selective peripheral histamine H1-receptor antagonistic activity.

Human histamine skin wheal studies following single and repeated 10 mg oral doses of Alavert (loratadine) have shown that the drug exhibits an antihistaminic effect beginning within 1 to 3 hours, reaching a maximum at 8 to 12 hours, and lasting in excess of 24 hours. There was no evidence of tolerance to this effect after 28 days of dosing with Alavert.

Whole body autoradiographic studies in rats and monkeys, radiolabeled tissue distribution studies in mice and rats, and in vivo radioligand studies in mice have shown that neither Alavert (loratadine) nor its metabolites readily cross the blood-brain barrier. Radioligand binding studies with guinea pig pulmonary and brain H1-receptors indicate that there was preferential binding to peripheral versus central nervous system H1-receptors.

Repeated application of Alavert (loratadine) rapidly-disintegrating tablets to the hamster cheek pouch did not cause local irritation.

How To Take Alavert and Alavert Dosage and Administration

Adults and Children 12 Years of Age and Over:

The recommended dose of Alavert (loratadine) is 10 mg once daily.

Children 6 to 11 Years of Age:

The recommended dose of Alavert (loratadine) is 10 mg (2 teaspoonsful) once daily.

Patients With Liver Failure or Renal Insufficiency (GFR <30 ml/min):

One tablet or two teaspoonsful every other day should be the starting dose.

Administration of Loratadine Rapidly-Disintegrating Tablets:

Place Alavert (loratadine) rapidly-disintegrating tablets on the tongue. Tablet disintegration occurs rapidly. Administer with or without water.

If you suspect a Alavert Overdose

In adults, somnolence, tachycardia, and headache have been reported with Alavert overdoses greater than 10 mg with the tablet formulation (40 to 180 mg). Extrapyramidal signs and palpitations have been reported in children with overdoses of greater than 10 mg of loratadine syrup. In the event of Alavert overdose, general symptomatic and supportive measures should be instituted promptly and maintained for as long as necessary.

Treatment of Alavert overdosage would reasonably consist of emesis (ipecac syrup), except in patients with impaired consciousness, followed by the administration of activated charcoal to absorb any remaining drug. If vomiting is unsuccessful, or contraindicated, gastric lavage should be performed with normal saline. Saline cathartics may also be of value for rapid dilution of bowel contents. Loratadine, the active ingredient in Alavert, is not eliminated by hemodialysis. It is not known if loratadine is eliminated by peritoneal dialysis.

No deaths occurred at oral doses up to 5000 mg/kg in rats and mice (greater than 2400 and 1200 times, respectively, the maximum recommended human daily oral dose on a mg/m2 basis). Single oral doses of Alavert (loratadine) showed no effects in rats, mice, and monkeys at doses as high as 10 times the maximum recommended human daily oral dose on a mg/m2 basis.

Alavert Side Effects

Alavert Precautions and Contraindications

Patients with liver impairment or renal insufficiency (GFR <30 ml/min) should be given a lower initial dose (10 mg every other day).

Taking Alavert during Pregnancy or Breast-feeding

Loratadine, the active ingredient in Alavert, and its metabolite, descarboethoxyloratadine, pass easily into breast milk and achieve concentrations that are equivalent to plasma levels with an AUCmilk/AUCplasma ratio of 1.17 and 0.85 for loratadine and descarboethoxyloratadine, respectively. Following a single oral dose of 40 mg, a small amount of loratadine and descarboethoxyloratadine was excreted into the breast milk (approximately 0.03% of 40 mg over 48 hours). A decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. Caution should be exercised when loratadine is administered to a nursing woman.

Alavert Clinical Trials and Studies

Storing Alavert

Alavert Tablets:

Store between 2-30°C (36-86°F).

Alavert Syrup:

Store between 2-25°C (36-77°F).

Alavert Reditabs:

Store between 2-25°C (36-77°F). Use within 6 months of opening laminated foil pouch, and immediately upon opening individual tablet blister.

Keep Alavert Reditabs in a dry place.

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