Zyrtec Dosage/Direction for Use

The tablets need to be swallowed with a glass of liquid.
The drops have to be diluted in liquid, while the solution can be swallowed as such.
Adults: 10 mg (20 drops or 10 ml oral solution or 1 tablet) once daily.
A 5 mg starting dose (10 drops or 5 ml of oral solution or half of the tablet) may be proposed if this leads to satisfactory control of the symptoms.
Children: Children aged from 2 to 6 years: 2.5 mg (5 drops or 2.5 ml of oral solution bid) twice daily.
Children aged from 6 to 12 years: 5 mg (10 drops or 5 ml of oral solution or half of the tablet) twice daily.
Children over 12 years of age: 10 mg (20 drops or 10 ml of oral solution or 1 tablet) once daily.
Elderly: Data do not suggest that the dose needs to be reduced in elderly subjects provided that the renal function is normal.
Patients with moderate to severe renal impairment: Since cetirizine is mainly excreted via renal route, in cases no alternative treatment can be used, the dosing intervals must be individualised according to renal function.
Refer to the table as follows and adjust the dose as indicated. To use this dosing table, an estimate of the patient's creatinine clearance (CL_cr) in ml/min is needed. The CL_cr (ml/min) may be estimated from serum creatinine (mg/dl) determination using the formula as follows: (see equation and Table 1.)

Click on icon to see table/diagram/image


Click on icon to see table/diagram/image

In paediatric patients suffering from renal impairment, the dose will have to be adjusted on an individual basis taking into account the renal clearance, age and body weight of the patient.
Patients with hepatic impairment: No dose adjustment is needed in patients with solely hepatic impairment.
Patients with hepatic impairment and renal impairment: Dose adjustment is recommended (see Patients with renal impairment as previously mentioned).
Route of Administration: For oral use.