Mixing Alcohol and Claritin vs. Claritin-D
Claritin and Claritin-D are similar drugs. Claritin is the brand name for the generic drug loratadine, a once-daily antihistamine that is FDA-approved to treat and prevent allergy symptoms. Similarly, Claritin-D contains loratadine as well as pseudoephedrine, an over-the-counter decongestant. Claritin-D is a once- and twice-daily drug that is FDA-approved to treat allergy symptoms as well as nasal stuffiness from the common cold.
You should use caution if mixing either Claritin or Claritin-D with alcohol. The drug interaction between loratadine and alcohol, with or without pseudoephedrine, raises concerns about additive side effects and safety.
Even if you try to space out your dose of Claritin or Claritin-D with your drinking, there is still a risk of side effects. This is because loratadine is a very long-acting drug that takes a long time to leave your body, especially if you have kidney or liver problems or are a senior citizen. In adults without liver problems, loratadine has a half-life of 8.4 hours, meaning that it takes 8.4 hours to clear half of a single dose from your body. Since it takes around five half-lives for a drug to completely leave your system, loratadine can remain present in your body for more than 40 hours.
Intense Drowsiness
Most antihistamines are central nervous system depressants and can be sedating. Although loratadine is less sedating than some other antihistamines, drowsiness and dizziness are still possible side effects, especially when the drug is mixed with alcohol.
Impaired Judgment
Impaired judgment is a side effect of drinking. When you mix alcohol with Claritin, the central nervous system effects of both drugs may be additive. In turn, your judgment may be impaired more than normal while drinking.
Increased Risk of Alcohol Overdose
Although little data exists on mixing alcohol and Claritin, it is known that drinking can be dangerous if you take stimulants. This is because stimulants, such as caffeine, counteract the sleepy feeling you get when you have had too much alcohol, leading you to drink more than you may have otherwise. Although loratadine itself is not a stimulant, the pseudoephedrine that is also present in Claritin-D is a stimulant. Therefore, it is possible that the stimulant action of pseudoephedrine may put you at risk for excessive drinking.
Decreased Effectiveness of Claritin
Alcohol can cause dehydration, both through its diuretic action (increased urination) as well as from nausea and vomiting due to drinking too much. In turn, dehydration can intensify allergy symptoms and counteract Claritin. This may be especially true of Claritin-D, which contains the decongestant pseudoephedrine that can further dry out nasal membranes.
