Saturday December 4, 2010
In another move by the Food and Drug Administration to end the patent on brand name drugs, Xyzal (levocetirizine) was approved as a generic medication this week. Xyzal was been available in the United States since 2007 as the active isomer of Zyrtec (cetirizine), which is available over-the-counter and in generic forms. Xyzal is approved for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and urticaria, and in my opinion, is the most effective low-sedating antihistamine available. It has a low incidence of side effects, although many of my readers have complained of increased appetite and weight gain as a side effect. In addition to Xyzal going generic, Clarinex was recently approved as a generic medication as well, and Allegra will be available over-the-counter this spring. All of this news suggests that oral antihistamines will be more widely available in the very near future, and should make allergy season far more tolerable.
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Tuesday November 30, 2010
Think that allergies aren't a problem during the winter? Think again. Some areas of the country experience their worst allergy season during the wintertime, when mountain cedar pollinates. And even when the plants outside aren't pollinating, other triggers still exist to make your nose congested and runny. From indoor Christmas trees to outdoor mold and irritants such as cold and windy weather, there are a number of non-pollen sources of wintertime nasal symptoms. In addition, cold temperatures can lead to hives, which is called cold urticaria.
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Monday November 29, 2010
More good news for allergy sufferers -- the generic form of Clarinex, desloratadine, a prescription antihistamine used to treat nasal allergies and hives, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. I'd expect to see generic Clarinex available, still be prescription only, in early 2011. Clarinex (desloratadine) is the active metabolite of Claritin (loratadine), which has been available over-the-counter (without a prescription) and in generic form for years. This move by the FDA will further help to contain the cost of prescription medications, because generic medications are typically much less expensive than brand-name medications. Of course, with generic Allegra (fexofenadine) becoming available over-the-counter this spring, it's debatable whether generic Clarinex will make much of an impact for allergy sufferers.
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Monday November 22, 2010
Later this week, many of us will travel to see family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. This will cause us to be staying in different environments that could expose us to all sorts of different allergic triggers. From hidden food allergens in the turkey stuffing, to Aunt Edna's pet cat, and from Uncle Ed's cigars to Grandma's dusty spare bedroom, your allergies could be in for more than you bargained for this Thanksgiving. Learn how to avoid these various allergens and irritants so you can truly be thankful this holiday season.
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