desloratadine vs levocetirizine
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of desloratadine and levocetirizine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
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Desloratadine is an antihistamine medicine. It helps relieve allergy symptoms.
Levocetirizine is an antihistamine medicine. It helps relieve allergy symptoms.
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.
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.
Desloratadine blocks histamine in your body. Histamine is a substance that causes allergy symptoms. By blocking histamine, this medicine reduces those symptoms.
Levocetirizine blocks histamine, a natural substance your body makes during an allergic reaction. By blocking histamine, it reduces allergy symptoms.
- • Sore throat
- • Dry mouth
- • Muscle pain
- • Tiredness
- • Sleepiness
No common side effects listed.
- Fatigue 601
- Nausea 582
- Dyspnoea 532
- Headache 465
- Diarrhoea 448
No adverse event reports.
Stop taking this medicine and get medical help right away if you have an allergic reaction. Signs of a reaction include rash, itching, hives, swelling, trouble breathing, or anaphylaxis.
If you have kidney disease, do not use this medicine. Children under 6 years of age should not use this medicine.
Not enough studies have been done to know if desloratadine is safe during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if desloratadine passes into breast milk.
There is not enough information available about the safety of levocetirizine during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
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How to Read This desloratadine vs levocetirizine Comparison
desloratadine is classified in the Second-Generation Antihistamine drug class, while levocetirizine sits within the Second-Generation Antihistamine class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory, but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, desloratadine has 2,628 submissions while levocetirizine has 0. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for desloratadine or levocetirizine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.