Can You Take Claritin And Eliquis Together?
In our latest question and answer, our pharmacist discusses whether or not the antihistamine Claritin is safe to take with Eliquis.
Can Claritin and Eliquis be taken without any side effects? Also, Claritin for sinus relief.
Aug 16, 2022- Claritin is safe to take with Eliquis with no known drug interaction between them.
- Avoid Claritin-D or other Claritin products containing pseudoephedrine, as the decongestant can raise blood pressure and heart rate and should be used cautiously with Eliquis.
- Talk to your doctor before using any decongestant with Eliquis.
Answer
Hello and thanks for reaching out to us!
Claritin (loratadine) is perfectly safe to take with Eliquis (apixaban). There is no known interaction between these two drugs. In fact, Eliquis is safe to take with the other antihistamines on the market that are similar to Claritin, which include:
- Allegra (fexofenadine)
- Zyrtec (cetirizine)
- Xyzal (levocetirizine)
A Word Of Caution
Now, even though Claritin is safe to take with Eliquis, I want to emphasize that this does not include certain products in which Claritin is combined with pseudoephedrine, like Claritin-D (loratadine; pseudoephedrine). I mention this because you brought up sinus relief in your question.
Pseudoephedrine, a commonly used over-the-counter nasal decongestant, doesn't necessarily interact with Eliquis, but can raise blood pressure and raise heart rate. It has a blanket recommendation to be used very cautiously in anyone with a heart condition.
Since Eliquis is often used for these types of conditions (e.g. pulmonary embolism, stroke prophylaxis, etc...), you shouldn't combine it with pseudoephedrine unless directed by your doctor.
Final Words
Thanks again for reaching out and please feel free to do so again in the future!
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Loratadine
- The active ingredient in Claritin, a type of antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms.
- Apixaban
- The active ingredient in Eliquis, a blood thinner medication used to prevent blood clots.
- Antihistamines
- Medications that block the effects of histamine to relieve allergy symptoms like itching and sneezing.
- Pseudoephedrine
- A decongestant medication commonly found in over-the-counter cold and sinus products that can increase blood pressure and heart rate.
- Pulmonary embolism
- A serious condition where a blood clot blocks blood flow in the lungs.
- Stroke prophylaxis
- The use of medication to prevent a stroke before it occurs.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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