Cetirizine Syrup Dosage Recommendations
The recommended dosage for Cetirizine (Cetzine) syrup depends on the patient's age, with 5-10 mg once daily for children 6-11 years, and 0.25 mg/kg twice daily for infants 6-11 months of age.
Dosage by Age Group
Children 6-11 years:
- 5-10 mg once daily 1
- 10 mg once daily provides significantly better symptom reduction than 5 mg for seasonal allergic rhinitis 1
- Can be given at bedtime or with the main meal 1
Infants 6-11 months:
- 0.25 mg/kg twice daily (approximately 4.5 mg total daily dose) 2
- Safety has been demonstrated in this age group in controlled studies 2
Administration Considerations
- Cetirizine syrup can be administered without regard to meals, though taking with meals may improve gastrointestinal tolerability 3
- Once-daily dosing is sufficient for most patients due to the 24-hour duration of action 4
- No data supports intermittent dosing; regular daily dosing is recommended 4
Safety Profile
- Cetirizine may cause mild drowsiness in some patients (13.7% vs 6.3% with placebo) 3
- Most commonly reported adverse reactions in children are headache, pharyngitis, and abdominal pain, occurring at rates similar to placebo 1
- Unlike first-generation antihistamines, cetirizine has minimal anticholinergic effects 4
- No QT interval prolongation has been observed in infants treated with cetirizine 2
Special Considerations
- In patients with moderate renal impairment, the dose should be halved 5
- Cetirizine should be avoided in severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <10 mL/min) 5
- Cetirizine is considered a safer option for patients with hypertension compared to decongestant-containing antihistamine products 5
Clinical Efficacy
- Onset of action occurs within 20 minutes of administration 4
- Effects persist for 24 hours, supporting once-daily dosing 4
- No tolerance to therapeutic effects has been observed even after 1 month of daily treatment 4
- Cetirizine 10 mg has been shown to be effective for allergic rhinitis, chronic urticaria, and may have benefits in mild asthma 4, 6