OpenClaim

Cetirizine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of cetirizine include fatigue, pain, and off label use, based on 171,686 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 12.3% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Cetirizine side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for cetirizine.

1
Drug Ineffective12.3%21,194
2
Fatigue10.9%18,705
3
Pain9.0%15,537
4
Off Label Use8.2%14,024
5
Rash7.6%12,967
6
Headache7.1%12,251
7
Pruritus7.1%12,108
8
Nausea6.5%11,126
9
Abdominal Discomfort6.2%10,565
10
Alopecia6.1%10,550
11
Dyspnoea6.1%10,446
12
Arthralgia5.8%10,018
13
Hypersensitivity5.6%9,598
14
Diarrhoea5.5%9,477
15
Rheumatoid Arthritis5.4%9,197

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that cetirizine caused these reactions.

Report severity

55.5%Serious95,296 reports
23.0%Hospitalizations39,568 reports
6.1%Fatal10,415 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Cetirizine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside cetirizine. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Adalimumab9.6%16,416
2
Etanercept7.8%13,391
3
Prednisone7.6%13,045
4
Abatacept7.5%12,926
5
Methotrexate7.4%12,726
6
Rituximab7.2%12,278
7
Tocilizumab7.1%12,246
8
Infliximab7.0%12,098
9
Certolizumab-pegol6.8%11,653
10
Leflunomide6.8%11,595
11
Hydroxychloroquine-sulfate6.4%10,987
12
Folic-acid6.3%10,851
13
Golimumab6.3%10,744
14
Alendronate-sodium6.2%10,697
15
Diclofenac6.2%10,597

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen18.3%31,384
2
Ergocalciferol15.8%27,075
3
Albuterol15.5%26,646
4
Fluticasone14.4%24,651
5
Montelukast-sodium11.9%20,423
6
Omeprazole10.7%18,421
7
Levothyroxine-sodium10.5%18,059
8
Aspirin10.4%17,846
9
Pantoprazole-sodium8.7%14,935
10
Ibuprofen8.6%14,804
11
Prednisone8.2%14,129
12
Diphenhydramine7.5%12,938
13
Gabapentin7.4%12,779
14
Atorvastatin-calcium7.3%12,510
15
Lisinopril6.4%11,031

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports cetirizine side effects

62.8% of cetirizine adverse event reports involve female patients and 25.1% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 62%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female62.8%
Male25.1%
Unknown12.1%

Age group

< 21.0%
2–115.9%
12–174.3%
18–6461.9%
65+26.8%

What is cetirizine used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking cetirizine when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DiscomfortAbdominal MigraineAbdominal PainAbdominal Pain UpperAbnormal BehaviourAbnormal Sensation In EyeAcarodermatitisAccidentAccidental ExposureAccidental Exposure To ProductAccidental Exposure To Product By ChildAccidental Exposure To Product PackagingAccidental OverdoseAcneAcute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis

Showing 15 of 1,328 indications

Cetirizine brand names and reporting trend

Cetirizine is sold under the brand name Zyrtec.

Brand names

Zyrtec2

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking cetirizine with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.