Formulary
Chlorphenamine maleate: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Chlorphenamine maleate clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 4 min read
Chlorphenamine maleate: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Chlorphenamine maleate clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Symptomatic relief of allergy such as hay fever, urticaria, food allergy, drug reactions,Relief of itch associated with chickenpox**
- **Child** (By Mouth): 12-17 years 4 mg every 4-6 hours.
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 4 mg every 4-6 hours.
- **Elderly** (By Mouth): 4 mg every 4-6 hours, consider maximum 12 mg per day due to risk of side-effects.
**Symptomatic relief of allergy such as hay fever, urticaria, food allergy, drug reactions**
- **Child** (By Intramuscular Injection, Or By Intravenous Injection): 12-17 years 10 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Adult** (By Intramuscular Injection, Or By Intravenous Injection): 10 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
**Emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions**
- **Child** (By Intramuscular Injection, Or By Intravenous Injection): 12-17 years 10 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Adult** (By Intramuscular Injection, Or By Intravenous Injection): 10 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
**Symptomatic relief of allergy such as hay fever, urticaria, food allergy, drug reactions, Relief of itch associated with chickenpox for chlorphenamine maleate**
- **Child 1-23 months** (By mouth): 1 mg twice daily.
- **Child 2-5 years** (By mouth): 1 mg every 4-6 hours.
- **Child 6-11 years** (By mouth): 2 mg every 4-6 hours.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By mouth): 4 mg every 4-6 hours.
**Symptomatic relief of allergy such as hay fever, urticaria, food allergy, drug reactions for chlorphenamine maleate**
- **Child 1-5 months** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 250 micrograms/kg for 1 dose (max. per dose 2.5 mg), to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Child 6 months-5 years** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 2.5 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Child 6-11 years** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 5 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 10 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
**Emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions for chlorphenamine maleate**
- **Child 1-5 months** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 250 micrograms/kg for 1 dose (max. per dose 2.5 mg), to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Child 6 months-5 years** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 2.5 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Child 6-11 years** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 5 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By intramuscular injection, or by intravenous injection): 10 mg for 1 dose, to be repeated if necessary; maximum 4 doses per day.
Cautions
Epilepsy; prostatic hypertrophy (in adults); pyloroduodenal obstruction; susceptibility to angle-closure glaucoma; urinary retention
Side effects
General side-effects: Common or very common Concentration impaired; coordination abnormal; dizziness; dry mouth; fatigue; headache; nausea; vision blurred Frequency not known Agitation; appetite decreased; blood disorder; bronchial secretion viscosity increased; depression; diarrhoea; haemolytic anaemia; hypotension; irritability; muscle twitching; muscle weakness; nightmare; palpitations; photosensitivity reaction; skin reactions; tinnitus; urinary retention; vomiting Specific side-effects: Common or very common With oral use Drowsiness Frequency not known With oral use Angioedema; arrhythmias; chest tightness; confusion; gastrointestinal discomfort; hepatic disorders With parenteral use Central nervous system stimulation; confusional psychosis (in adults); dyspepsia; gastrointestinal disorder; hepatitis; sedation Side-effects, further information Children and elderly patients are more susceptible to side-effects.
Interactions
**Other interactions (3):**
- This medicine may enhance the sedative effects of alcohol, hypnotics, anxiolytics, sedatives, opioid analgesics and neuroleptics.
- Concurrent use of chlorphenamine and hypnotics or anxiolytics may cause an increase in sedative effects, concurrent use of alcohol may have a similar effect therefore medical advice should be sought...
- Metabolism of phenytoin may be inhibited by chlorpheniramine with the possible development of phenytoin toxicity.
Pregnancy
Most manufacturers of antihistamines advise avoiding their use during pregnancy; however, there is no evidence of teratogenicity. Use in the latter part of the third trimester may cause adverse effects in neonates such as irritability, paradoxical excitability, and tremor.
Breast feeding
Most antihistamines are present in breast milk in varying amounts; although not known to be harmful, most manufacturers advise avoiding their use in mothers who are breast-feeding.
Hepatic impairment
Manufacturer advises caution.
Medicinal forms
Solution,Tablet,Solution,Solution
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
Inside MedNext for this topic
- 411 MedNext-authored chapters
- 80,000+ MCQ bank
- 15 study modes
- Growing visual cheat sheets
Study modes
- Notes
- MCQ
- Audio
- Video
- Visual
- 3D Anatomy
- Trace
- Flashcards
- Mnemonics
- Image Bank
- Clinical
- Microscopy
- Audio QBank
- Cadaver
- Book Match
Continue reading
Subject HubPharmacology Hub
All pharmacology resources in one place.
Drug SchedulesIndian Drug Schedules
Schedule H, H1, X and G classifications.
FormularyBrowse all drugs
Search 1,850+ drug profiles.
Study Chlorphenamine maleate in the MedNext app
Challenge yourself with targeted pharmacology MCQs on this drug class. Every explanation links back to the chapter that teaches the concept.
Start drug challengeExplore the full formulary