Patient/caregiver was instructed upon Claritin and mechanism of action as follows:
- Claritin is a medication belonging to the antihistamine group, especially used in individuals for management of symptoms of allergy activation.
- Histamine is a chemical mediator released from the mast cells during an allergy response. Histamine binds to the H-1 receptors on the cells in the body and results in development of symptoms of allergy, such as, itching of the skin, sneezing, runny nose, and increased mucus production in the body.
- Claritin blocks the H-1 receptors, thus inhibiting the binding and action of histamine on these receptors and leading to calming down of symptoms of allergy.
- Claritin has very poor action on the brain and central nervous system. So, Claritin hardly offers any relief with symptoms of motion sickness, such as nausea and vomiting.
- Also, as Claritin poorly acts on the brain and central nervous system, it does not induce any calming down effect on the brain, and hence is non-sedating.
