Exact Answer: 24 to 48 Hours
Drugs & medications, especially prescription ones, must be analyzed thoroughly for their side effects, hazards, and quite less-known interactions with other substances. Why? Because these substances, if handled in the wrong way, can prove to be fatal. Is consuming alcohol after taking Zyrtec safe? Absolutely not. In this article, information on the side effects & hazards of Zyrtec & alcohol interaction is provided.
Zyrtec is an antihistamine drug used to cure allergic symptoms. It effectively cures symptoms like sneezing, itching, hay fever, and many more. Zyrtec is similar to Benadryl, which is another famous over-the-counter antihistamine. These over-the-counter antihistamines work by blockading receptors responsible for histamine production.
How Long After Taking Zyrtec Can I Drink Alcohol?
Zyrtec & alcohol consumed together cause extreme drowsiness. Consuming alcohol after taking Zyrtec causes dizziness, nausea, partial memory loss, severe headache, high blood pressure, false judgment, impaired thinking, and many more.
Alcohol suppresses the ability of the CNS. When consumed along with Zyrtec, the effects of sedation & depression multiply. If you consume alcohol after taking Zyrtec, then it has side effects on the liver as well. There can be multiple effects on mental health too.
The effects of alcohol consumption after taking Zyrtec are severe on the old-aged ones. In severe cases, the individual can be affected by hypoxia. Hypoxia is a condition where oxygen transport in the body slows down. This condition can eventually result in multiple organ failures.
When Zyrtec has been taken, at least one should have the patience of waiting for 24 hours before consuming alcohol. Severe health conditions, disorders, old age may extend this duration. Safer side, one should not consume alcohol for at least 36 hours after taking Zyrtec.
| Consuming Alcohol After Taking Zyrtec | Time |
| A normal middle-aged healthy person | 24 Hours |
| A middle-aged person with a heart ailment | 36 Hours |
| An old-aged person | 48 Hours |
Why Can I Drink Alcohol So Long After Taking Zyrtec?
Zyrtec is an antihistamine drug that travels through the bloodstream. Alcohol should not be consumed by an individual until Zyrtec stays in the blood. Usually, Zyrtec stays around 24 hours in the bloodstream, but it differs from individual to individual. Old age, heart ailments, other issues may result in Zyrtec remaining in the bloodstream for longer durations.
If one has a feeling that Zyrtec isn’t working, it is still advised that one should not consume alcohol. The delay in the working of Zyrtec may happen due to multiple factors. The combination of Zyrtec & alcohol is still quite lethal, and in extreme cases can be fatal.
The effects of consuming alcohol after taking Zyrtec are as follows:
Heart: Alcohol alone has many hazardous effects on the heart. Coupled with Zyrtec, the effects are multiplied. There can be an increased chance of contracting cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, CAD, and heart-related diseases.
Blood pressure: Both alcohol & Zyrtec increase blood pressure. If consumed consecutively, the effect amplifies. This results in a heightening of the blood pressure, which can pose serious issues to individuals of old age & people who have the disorder of high blood pressure.
Increased chance of accidents: Alcohol causes the impaired function of the brain that damages the judgment, thinking, and even memory of an individual. Along with Zyrtec, the effects become more hazardous.
Addiction: The most dangerous effect, and the primary reason why you should not consume alcohol after taking Zyrtec. Firstly, alcohol itself is quite addictive. Coupled with Zyrtec, it creates a craving for both these chemicals. The craving slowly becomes dependence, then into an addiction.
Conclusion
Zyrtec is an antihistamine drug used to curb allergy symptoms by controlling histamine receptors. When one consumes alcohol while Zyrtec is still present in the bloodstream, then it has extremely harmful side effects. They range from extreme drowsiness to liver damage. It also affects the CNS, thus affecting the consciousness of an individual.
It takes at least around 24 hours for Zyrtec to exit the bloodstream. So, it is advised that one should not consume alcohol after taking Zyrtec till it completely exits the body. In extreme cases, addiction to the combination of these chemicals can occur. In some cases, the side effects may be fatal.
