| More
than 50 million Americans have allergies. Allergic rhinitis
(inflammation in the nasal area) is the most common allergic
disease, affecting at least 20 to 25 percent of the population.
Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in
the U.S.
For allergy symptoms such as a runny nose,
watery/itchy eyes, or sneezing that occur infrequently, most
individuals can be treated successfully with an oral non-sedating
antihistamine such as Loratadine (Claritin), Desloratadine
(Clarinex), Fexofenadine (Allegra), or Cetirizine (Zyrtec)
or an antihistamine nasal spray.
Allegra is a common anti allergy drug available
by prescription. Fexofenadine or Allegra is an oral, "second
generation" antihistamine that is used to treat the signs
and symptoms of allergy that are due to histamine.
It is similar to the other second generation
antihistamines like the Loratadine (Claritin), Cetirizine
(Zyrtec) and Azelastine (Astelin). Histamine is a chemical
that is responsible for many symptoms of allergic reactions,
for example, swelling of the lining of the nose, sneezing,
and itchy eyes.
Fexofenadine blocks one type of receptor for
histamine (the H1 receptor) and thus prevents activation of
H1 receptor-containing cells by histamine. Unlike the first
generation antihistamines, fexofenadine and other second-generation
antihistamines do not readily enter the brain from the blood,
and, therefore, they cause less drowsiness.
Sanofi-Aventis announced this month that the
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved Allegra(R),
(fexofenadine hydrochloride), an oral suspension for the twice-daily
treatment of symptoms associated with seasonal allergies in
pediatric patients, 2 to 11 years of age, and for the treatment
of chronic idiopathic urticaria in children 6 months to 11
years of age. This approval makes available a safe and effective
seasonal allergy treatment option that is non-impairing to
pediatric populations as young as 2 years old.
Allegra side effects in children 6 months
to 5 years old were similar to placebo. Side effects varied
by age. The most commonly reported Allegra side effects were:
vomiting, pyrexia, cough, otitis media and diarrhea.
An advisory panel of the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has voted overwhelmingly that three allergy
remedies--Loratadine, Cetirizine, and Fexofenadine (Allegra)
are safe enough to be bought at pharmacies and supermarkets
without a doctor's prescription. But the manufacturers of
the drugs are resisting the idea.
Fexofenadine, marketed in the United Kingdom
as Telfast and in the United States as Allegra, is available
only on prescription in both countries. But you can check
Allegra information available on various internet sites.
The three popular anti-allergy drugs marketed
by Schering-Plough, Pfizer, and Aventis, are heavily advertised
directly to consumers. The drug companies claim that they
are better than the older drugs because they do not cause
drowsiness.
What
are Antihistamine drugs? |
How
does it work? | What
is it used for? | Who
can use it?|
Side
effects|
Managing
Allergies During Pregnancy|
Asthma
in Pregnancy|
How
To Survive Spring Allergies|
Allegra
A Common Anti Allergy Drug|
Practical
Measures to Prevent and Treat Allergy|
Give
Your Allergies A Sniffle-Free Spring |
