Clinical medicine profile
Levocetirizine
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- Warnings Do not use if you have kidney disease if you have ever had an allergic reaction to this product or any of its ingredients or to an antihistamine containing cetirizine Ask a doctor before use if you have ever had trouble urinating or emptying your bladder When using this product drowsiness may occur avoid alcoholic drinks alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase drowsiness be careful when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery Stop use and ask doctor if you have trouble urinating or emptying your bladder an allergic reaction to this product occurs.
- Seek medical help right away.
- If pregnant or breast-feeding: if breast-feeding: not recommended if pregnant: ask a health professional before use Keep out of reach of children.
- In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away (1-800-222-1222).
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
Directions adults 65 years of age and older ask a doctor adults and children 12-64 years of age take 1 tablet (5 mg) once daily in the evening do not take more than 1 tablet (5 mg) in 24 hours 1/2 tablet (2.5 mg) once daily in the evening may be appropriate for less severe symptoms children 6-11 years of age take 1/2 tablet (2.5 mg) once daily in the evening do not take more than 1/2 tablet (2.5 mg) in 24 hours children under 6 years of age do not use consumers with kidney disease do not use
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- Uses temporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other respiratory allergies: runny nose sneezing itchy, watery eyes itching of the nose or throat Clinical selection for Levocetirizine should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
- Class context: Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class).
- Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.
Adverse effects
- Anorexia
- increased appetite
- taste perversion
- dyspepsia
- gastritis
- stomatitis;enlarged abdomen
- eructation
- flatulence
- constipation
- rectal hemorrhage
- hemorrhoids.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
It acts by competing with histamine for H1-receptor sites on effector cells.
Read complete mechanism
It acts by competing with histamine for H1-receptor sites on effector cells. Its marked polarity decreases distribution of the drug into the CNS, resulting in reduced potential for adverse CNS effects compared with some first generation antihistamines.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALERFREE | DAIMA BIASHARA / Wholesale Import | 5MG(LEVOCETRIZINE)TABS 10`S | KES 53.75daima_biashara_price_list |
| Levofast | FDC | tabs 5mg 10's | Unavailable |
| Levofast | FDC | tabs 5mg 30's | Unavailable |
| Xyzal Oral Solution | GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Kenya Limited | Oral Solution | Unavailable |
| Xyzal Tablets | GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Kenya Limited | Tablet | Unavailable |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.