Alternatives to cetirizine
4 same-class SPL records vs cetirizine - uses, FAERS reaction fields, and OTC/Rx flags from public FDA sources.
Brand: Zyrtec
How to read a high-report FAERS peer set
cetirizine ranks in the upper FAERS-volume third of the corpus (#100 of 524); 4 same-class peers are listed for field comparison only. Labeled indication field for cetirizine: This medicine treats allergy symptoms.
Top FAERS reaction fields for cetirizine total 94,405 reports across 10 reactions, set beside desloratadine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine. Counts are exposure-weighted submissions, not per-patient risk.
About cetirizine
Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is an antihistamine medicine. It helps relieve allergy symptoms.
Used for: This medicine treats allergy symptoms. It can help with a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. It also helps with itching of the nose or throat caused by hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.
4 Second-Generation Antihistamine peers (wide set)
desloratadine
RxClarinex
This medicine treats allergy symptoms. It can help with seasonal allergies like hay fever. It also treats year-round allergies and chronic hives by reducing itching and the number and size of hives.
fexofenadine
OTCAllegra
This medicine treats hives and itching caused by hives. It will not stop hives or allergic skin reactions from happening. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your condition.
levocetirizine
OTCXyzal
This medicine treats allergy symptoms. It can help with a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. It also helps with itching of the nose or throat caused by hay fever or other allergies.
loratadine
OTCClaritin
This medicine treats allergy symptoms. It can help with a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and sneezing. It also helps with itching of the nose or throat caused by hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.
cetirizine vs desloratadine & fexofenadine · FAERS reaction fields
FAERS top-reaction field "Fatigue" shows the widest count spread between cetirizine and desloratadine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine in this extract (12,003-report gap on that field). Counts are exposure-weighted submissions, not prevalence rates.
| Side Effect | cetirizine | desloratadine | fexofenadine | levocetirizine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatigue | 12,861 | 601 | 858 | - |
| Pain | 12,124 | 317 | 488 | - |
| Rash | 9,771 | 374 | 605 | - |
| Abdominal Discomfort | 9,317 | - | - | - |
| Alopecia | 9,237 | - | - | - |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | 8,675 | - | - | - |
| Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | 8,466 | - | - | - |
| Pemphigus | 8,274 | - | - | - |
"-" means no reports for that reaction. Report counts reflect total FAERS submissions, not prevalence rates.
cetirizine FAERS volume vs class peers
FAERS volume band
cetirizine is FAERS corpus rank #100 of 524 (high volume tercile). Top-reaction field total: 94,405.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does cetirizine sit in FAERS report volume vs Second-Generation Antihistamine peers? ▼
Registry note: FAERS counts are voluntary reports and do not establish causation or risk rates. This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not stop or change your medication without talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
Field note for cetirizine: see also the generic vs brand label guide when reading Zyrtec SPL strings.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.