Use the chart below to find the kind of allergy medicine you're taking or thinking about taking to help control your allergies. The chart lists the most common types of allergy medications used to treat symptoms of nasal allergies. See Other Allergy Medication to find out more about nasal sprays, etc.
ALLERGY MEDICATIONS:
| Antihistamines |
| brand |
generic |
| Optimine |
azatadine |
| Dimetane (OTC) |
brompheniramine |
| Reactine, Zyrtec |
cetirizine |
| Chlor-Trimeton (OTC) |
chlorpheniramine |
| Tavist (OTC) |
clemastine |
| Periactin |
cyproheptadine |
| Polaramine |
dexchlorpheniramine |
| Benadryl (OTC), Benadryl Allergy, Various |
diphenhydramine |
| Allegra |
fexofenadine |
| Atarax, Vistaril |
hydroxyzine |
| Claritin (OTC) |
loratadine |
| Nolahist |
phenindamine |
| Phenergan |
promethazine |
| Pyribenzamine (PBZ) |
tripelennamine |
| Zyrtec (OTC) |
cetirizine |
| Intranasal Antihistamines |
| brand |
generic |
| Astelin |
azelastine |
| Patanase |
olopatadine |
| Decongestants |
| brand |
generic |
| Vicks Vatronol |
ephedrine (Available OTC as nasal spray or drops) |
| Afrin, Dristan Long-acting, Neo-Synephrine Maximum Strength, Vicks Sinex Long-Lasting, 4-Way Long Lasting |
oxymetazoline (Available OTC as nasal spray or drops) |
| Dristan Fast-Acting, Neo-Synephrine (pediatric, mild, regular, and extra strength formulas), Vicks Sinex |
phenylephrine (Available OTC as nasal spray or drops) |
| Drixoral Non-Drowsy, Sudafed, Children's Sudafed |
pseudoephedrine (OTC) |
| AntihistamineDecongestant |
| brand |
generic |
| Dimetapp, Vicks Dayquil |
brompheniramine, phenylpropanolamine |
| Triaminic |
chlorpheniramine, phenylpropanolamine |
| Allerest, Chlor-Trimetron, Contac, Sudafed Plus |
chlorpheniramine, pseudoephedrine |
| Tavist-D |
clemastine, phenylpropanolamine |
| Drixoral Cold and Allergy |
dexbrompheniramine, phenylpropanolamine |
| Benedryl Decongestant |
diphenhydramine, pseudoephedrine |
| Actifed |
triprolidine, pseudoephedrine |
| Zyrtec-D |
cetirizine, pseudoephedrine |
| AntihistamineDecongestant |
| brand |
generic |
| Allegra-D |
fexofenadine, pseudoephedrine |
| Claritin-D |
loratadine, pseudoephedrine |
| Intranasal Corticosteroids |
| brand |
generic |
| Beconase, Vancenase |
beclomethasone |
| Rhinocort |
budesonide |
| Nasarel, Nasalide |
flunisolide |
| Flonase |
fluticasone |
| Nasonex |
mometasone furoate |
| Nasacort |
triamcinolone |
| Omnaris |
ciclesonide |
| Cromolyn sodium-intranasal |
| brand |
generic |
| Nasalcrom |
cromolyn sodium |
New antihistamine medications are being brought onto the market all the time. This list is a sampling of some of the antihistamines available.
Written by Karen Serrano, MD
Emergency Medicine resident at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Reviewed by Lisa V. Suffian, MD
Instructor of Clinical Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Pulmonary Medicine at Saint Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine
Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Saint Louis University
Board certified in Allergy and Immunology
Last updated June 2008
