Formulary
Ketotifen: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Ketotifen clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Ketotifen: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Ketotifen clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis**
- **Child** (To The Eye): 3-17 years Apply twice daily.
- **Adult** (To The Eye): Apply twice daily.
**Allergic rhinitis**
- **Child** (By Mouth): 3-17 years 1 mg twice daily.
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 1 mg twice daily, increased if necessary to 2 mg twice daily, to be taken with food.
**Allergic rhinitis in readily sedated patients**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Initially 0.5-1 mg once daily, dose to be taken at night.
**Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis for ketotifen**
- **Child 3-17 years** (To the eye): Apply twice daily.
**Allergic rhinitis for ketotifen**
- **Child 3-17 years** (By mouth): 1 mg twice daily.
Cautions
With oral use Epilepsy; prostatic hypertrophy (in adults); pyloroduodenal obstruction; susceptibility to angle-closure glaucoma; urinary retention
Contraindications
With oral use Avoid in Acute porphyrias
Side effects
General side-effects: Uncommon Dry mouth; skin reactions Specific side-effects: Common or very common When used by eye (topical) Eye discomfort; eye disorders; eye inflammation With oral use Anxiety; insomnia; irritability Uncommon When used by eye (topical) Conjunctival haemorrhage; drowsiness; dry eye; headache; vision disorders With oral use Cystitis; dizziness Rare or very rare With oral use Hepatitis; sedation; seizure; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; weight increased Frequency not known When used by eye (topical) Asthma exacerbated; facial swelling; oedema Side-effects, further information Drowsiness is a significant side-effect with most of the older antihistamines although paradoxical stimulation may occur rarely, especially with high doses or in children and the elderly. Drowsiness may diminish after a few days of treatment and is considerably less of a problem with the newer antihistamines.
Pregnancy
With oral use: 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
With oral use: 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.
Medicinal forms
Solution,Tablet,Solution,Drops
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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