Cinnarizine Dosing and Route of Administration
Cinnarizine is not available as an intravenous (IV) formulation and should never be administered intravenously—it is only available and approved for oral administration.
Available Formulation and Standard Dosing
Oral Administration Only
- Cinnarizine is manufactured and dispensed exclusively as oral tablets (25 mg) for the treatment of vestibular disorders, motion sickness, and peripheral vertigo 1, 2, 3, 4
- There is no injectable or IV preparation of cinnarizine available in any market where the drug is approved
Standard Adult Dosing (Oral)
- For vestibular vertigo: 75 mg twice daily (150 mg total daily dose) 3, 4
- For acquired cold urticaria: 25 mg three times daily (75 mg total daily dose) 2
- For Meniere's disease: 75 mg twice daily (150 mg total daily dose) 5
Pediatric Dosing (Oral)
- Specific pediatric dosing is not well-established in the literature provided
- In the reported overdose case, a 30-month-old child ingested 225 mg (18 times the recommended pediatric dose), suggesting standard pediatric doses are substantially lower than adult doses 1
- Pediatric use requires careful dose adjustment based on age and weight, though specific guidelines are not provided in the available evidence
Important Clinical Considerations
Pharmacokinetics
- Elimination half-life: approximately 3.65 hours in pediatric overdose cases 1
- Peak serum levels after overdose were 26.9 times higher than therapeutic adult levels, demonstrating significant dose-dependent absorption 1
Adverse Effects to Monitor
- Neurologic effects: somnolence, stupor, extrapyramidal symptoms, and rarely seizures (particularly in young children with overdose) 1
- Common mild effects: drowsiness, epigastric pain, weight gain, headache 2, 3
- Severe reactions: convulsions have been reported in pediatric overdose, likely related to antihistaminic and antidopaminergic properties 1
Clinical Efficacy
- Demonstrated effectiveness in 57-71% of patients with vestibular disorders when used at appropriate oral doses 2, 3
- Superior efficacy compared to betahistine in some comparative trials for peripheral vestibular vertigo 4
Critical Safety Warning
Any request for IV cinnarizine dosing represents a medication error risk—this formulation does not exist, and attempting to prepare or administer cinnarizine intravenously could result in serious patient harm. Always verify the intended medication and route before administration.