Can You Use Claritin And Flonase Together?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not it is safe to combine Flonase and Claritin.
I have really bad allergies and often need to take more than one medicine. Is it okay if I use Claritin and Flonase together?
May 23, 2022- Claritin and Flonase are safe to use together with no interactions between them.
- Using both medications together doesn't appear to be more effective than using Flonase alone based on available studies.
- You can combine any oral antihistamine with any nasal steroid spray safely.
Hello and thanks for reaching out!
I'm more than happy to answer this for you.
Claritin (loratadine) and Flonase (fluticasone nasal spray) can safely be used together to help treat your allergies. There are no interactions between them.
Having said that, there are studies that show that combined use doesn't seem much more effective than using Flonase (or any nasal steroid for that matter), alone.
Nevertheless, as mentioned, they are safe together.
Flonase And Claritin For Allergies
Both Claritin and Flonase are safe, and effective drugs to treat allergies, specifically what is known as allergic rhinitis (i.e. hay fever, seasonal allergies).
They do work in different manners.
Claritin is a second-generation antihistamine, very similar to other drugs in the class, like Allegra, Zyrtec, and Xyzal.
These drugs work as antihistamines, blocking the binding of the molecule histamine to its receptors, which causes the allergy symptoms we know so well (e.g. nasal congestion, sinus headache, watering eyes etc...).
Flonase, on the other hand, is an intranasal corticosteroid, that works primarily by reducing inflammation in the nasal passages.
Other intranasal steroids include:
- Flonase Sensimist
- Rhinocort
- Nasacort AQ
Due to their differing mechanisms of action, and lack of interaction, Claritin and Flonase can be used together.
As stated though, some studies show that combining both doesn't seem more effective than using Flonase alone.
One such study concluded the following:
Intranasal corticosteroid [e.g. Flonase] plus oral antihistamine [e.g. loratadine] have similar efficacy to intranasal corticosteroid alone
This seems to apply only to oral antihistamines (like Claritin) and nasal steroids.
Studies show that nasal antihistamines combined with nasal steroids are more effective than either alone. One had the following conclusion
Intranasal AH-INCS [antihistamine-inhaled nasal corticosteroid] has benefit over INCS [inhaled nasal corticosteroid] on nasal and ocular symptom improvement for treating AR [allergic rhinitis].
Some good news here is that a nasal antihistamine (Astepro) was approved for over-the-counter sale in 2021, and is slated to be available in mid-2022. Once available, you'll probably get better relief from your allergy symptoms by combining Astepro and Flonase (versus Claritin and Flonase).
Final Words
So, overall, you can certainly combine an antihistamine like Claritin, with Flonase. There is no interaction there.
In fact, it is safe to combine any oral antihistamine (e.g. Zyrtec, Xyzal, Claritin, Allegra) with any nasal steroid.
Just be aware that there isn't much evidence showing that using together will help with your symptoms any more than using a nasal steroid alone.
References & sources
- Comparison of nasal steroid with antihistamine in prophylactic treatment against pollinosis using an environmental challenge chamber — PubMed
- Effects of H1 antihistamine addition to intranasal corticosteroid for allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis — PubMed
- Concomitant corticosteroid nasal spray plus antihistamine (oral or local spray) for the symptomatic management of allergic rhinitis — PubMed
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Loratadine
- The active ingredient in Claritin, an allergy medication that blocks histamine to reduce allergy symptoms.
- Fluticasone nasal spray
- The active ingredient in Flonase, a nasal spray that reduces inflammation in the nasal passages to relieve allergy symptoms.
- Allergic rhinitis
- Inflammation of the nasal passages caused by an allergic reaction, commonly known as hay fever or seasonal allergies.
- Second-generation antihistamine
- A type of allergy medication that blocks histamine receptors to reduce symptoms like congestion and itching without causing as much drowsiness as older antihistamines.
- Histamine
- A chemical released by the body during allergic reactions that causes symptoms like itching, swelling, and congestion.
- Intranasal corticosteroid
- A steroid medication sprayed into the nose that reduces inflammation and swelling in the nasal passages.
- Mechanism of action
- The way a drug works in the body to produce its effects.
- Efficacy
- The ability of a drug to produce the desired therapeutic effect.
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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