Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0042109 (urticaria)
 6,569 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Levocetirizine (Xyzal) is a selective, potent, oral histamine H(1) receptor antagonist of the latest generation that is licensed for the symptomatic treatment of allergic rhinitis (including persistent allergic rhinitis [PER]) and chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). Large, well designed trials indicate that levocetirizine is effective and generally well tolerated in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and CIU. Its pharmacological profile offers many positive aspects: a rapid onset and long duration of antihistaminic effect; rapid absorption and high bioavailability; a low potential for drug interactions; a low volume of distribution; and a lack of effect on cognition, psychomotor function and the cardiovascular system. Allergen challenge chamber studies suggest that levocetirizine has better efficacy than desloratadine, loratadine or fexofenadine. Well controlled, long-term studies with other later-generation H(1) receptor antagonists are required to fully define its clinical profile relative to other agents in this class. Overall, levocetirizine is a valuable addition to the oral H(1) receptor antagonists available for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and as first-line therapy in patients with CIU.
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PMID:Levocetirizine: a review of its use in the management of allergic rhinitis and skin allergies. 1674 20

Increasing evidence suggests that most of today's allergic rhinitis patients are sensitized to more than one trigger, likely due to constant exposure to increased levels of traditional and new allergens from exotic foods and pets, resulting in manifestation of the more persistent and moderate/severe symptoms. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative has consequently recommended that allergic rhinitis be classified as "intermittent" or "persistent" allergic rhinitis (IAR and PER, respectively), based on symptom duration and the impact of disease severity on the patient's quality of life. Moreover, ARIA has recommended that the efficacy of H(1)-antihistamines be investigated in patients classified according to ARIA, with the H(1)-antihistamine under investigation being evaluated long-term in terms of clinical efficacy, safety and pharmacological properties in order to fully appreciate its efficacy. Studies of levocetirizine, one of the most recent commercially available H(1)-antihistamines, indicate that this drug is among the most useful H(1)-antihistamines for the management of allergic rhinitis (IAR and PER) and chronic idiopathic urticaria because of its overall more favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles compared with other commonly used H(1)-antihistamines, as well as its high efficacy and long-term safety in children and adults. Moreover, continuous treatment with levocetirizine appears to be more effective than on-demand treatment, a property that is likely to benefit today's patients with more persistent and severe symptoms.
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PMID:Levocetirizine: from scientific evidence to a potent modern-day treatment of today's allergic patients. 1943 43