Formulary
Cinnarizine: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Cinnarizine clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Cinnarizine: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Cinnarizine clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Relief of symptoms of vestibular disorders, such as vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, and vomiting in Mnire's disease**
- **Child** (By Mouth): 12-17 years 30 mg 3 times a day.
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 30 mg 3 times a day.
**Motion sickness**
- **Child** (By Mouth): 12-17 years Initially 30 mg, dose to be taken 2 hours before travel, then 15 mg every 8 hours if required, dose to be taken during journey.
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Initially 30 mg, dose to be taken 2 hours before travel, then 15 mg every 8 hours if required, dose to be taken during journey.
**Relief of symptoms of vestibular disorders, such as vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, and vomiting in Mnire's disease for cinnarizine**
- **Child 5-11 years** (By mouth): 15 mg 3 times a day.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By mouth): 30 mg 3 times a day.
**Motion sickness for cinnarizine**
- **Child 5-11 years** (By mouth): Initially 15 mg, dose to be taken 2 hours before travel, then 7.5 mg every 8 hours if required, dose to be taken during journey.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By mouth): Initially 30 mg, dose to be taken 2 hours before travel, then 15 mg every 8 hours if required, dose to be taken during journey.
Cautions
Epilepsy; glaucoma (in children); Parkinson's disease (in adults); prostatic hypertrophy (in adults); pyloroduodenal obstruction; susceptibility to angle-closure glaucoma (in adults); urinary retention
Contraindications
Avoid in Acute porphyrias
Side effects
Common or very common Drowsiness; gastrointestinal discomfort; nausea; weight increased Uncommon Fatigue; hyperhidrosis; vomiting Frequency not known Dry mouth; gastrointestinal disorder; headache; jaundice cholestatic; movement disorders; muscle rigidity; parkinsonism; skin reactions; subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus; tremor
Interactions
**Other interactions (7):**
- Procarbazine may enhance the effect of cinnarizine/dimenhydrinate.
- In common with other antihistamines, cinnarizine/dimenhydrinate may potentiate the sedative effects of CNS depressants including alcohol, barbiturates, narcotic analgesics and tranquillisers.
- Patients should be advised to avoid alcoholic drinks.
- Cinnarizine/dimenhydrinate may also enhance the effects of antihypertensives, ephedrine and anticholinergics such as atropine and tricyclic antidepressants.
- Cinnarizine/dimenhydrinate may mask ototoxic symptoms associated with amino glycosidic antibiotics and mask the response of the skin to allergic skin tests.
- The information about potential pharmacokinetic interactions with cinnarizine and diphenhydramine and other medicinal products is limited.
Pregnancy
Manufacturer advises avoid; however, there is no evidence of teratogenicity. The use of sedating antihistamines 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 in hepatic insufficiency-no information available.
Renal impairment
Use with caution (no information available). M
Medicinal forms
Suspension
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.
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