Commonly reported side effects of cetirizine include headache, dry mouth, drowsiness, and fatigue, while more serious but rare side effects include cardiac failure, tachycardia, and edema.

Discontinuing cetirizine after prolonged use (typically, use beyond six months) may result in generalized itching

Formerly prescription-only in many countries, cetirizine is now available without prescription in most countries. In some countries it is available over-the-counter only in packages containing seven or ten 10 mg doses.

Like many other antihistamine medications, cetirizine is commonly prescribed in combination with pseudoephedrine, a decongestant. These combinations are often marketed using the same brand name as the cetirizine with a “-D” suffix (Zyrtec-D, Virlix-D, etc.)…..