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Chlorpheniramine - MedlinePlus Drug Information
Chlorpheniramine - MedlinePlus Drug Information
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Drugs, Herbs and Supplements → Chlorpheniramine
Chlorpheniramine
pronounced as (klor fen ir' a meen)
Chlorpheniramine comes alone and in combination with f ever and pain reducers, expectorants, cough
suppressants, and decongestants. Ask your doctor or pharmacist f or advice on which product is best f or
your symptoms. Check nonprescription cough and cold product labels caref ully bef ore using 2 or more
products at the same time. These products may contain the same active ingredient(s) and taking them
together could cause you to receive an overdose.This is especially important if you will be giving cough and
cold medications to a child.
Nonprescription cough and cold combination products, including products that contain chlorpheniramine,
can cause serious side ef f ects or death in young children. Do not give these products to children younger
than 4 years of age. If you give these products to children 4- 11 years of age, use caution and f ollow the
package directions caref ully.
If you are giving chlorpheniramine or a combination product that contains chlorpheniramine to a child, read
the package label caref ully to be sure that it is the right product f or a child of that age. Do not give
chlorpheniramine products that are made f or adults to children.
Bef ore you give a chlorpheniramine product to a child, check the package label to find out how much
medication the child should receive. Give the dose that matches the child's age on the chart. Ask the child's
doctor if you don't know how much medication to give the child.
If you are taking the liquid, do not use a household spoon to measure your dose. Use the measuring spoon
or cup that came with the medication or use a spoon made especially f or measuring medication.
If you are using the extended- release tablets or capsules, swallow them whole. Do not break, crush, chew,
or open them.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional
supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the
f ollowing: other medications f or colds, hay f ever, or allergies; medications f or anxiety, depression, or
seizures; muscle relaxants; narcotic medications f or pain; sedatives; sleeping pills; and tranquilizers.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or other types of
lung disease; glaucoma (a condition in which increased pressure in the eye can lead to gradual loss of
vision); ulcers; diabetes; difficulty urinating (due to an enlarged prostate gland); heart disease; high blood
pressure; seizures; or an overactive thyroid gland.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast- f eeding. If you become
pregnant while taking chlorpheniramine, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking
chlorpheniramine.
you should know that this medication may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery
until you know how this medication af f ects you.
ask your doctor about the saf e use of alcohol while you are taking chlorpheniramine. Alcohol can make
the side ef f ects of chlorpheniramine worse.
talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking chlorpheniramine if you are 65 years of age or
older. Older adults should not usually take chlorpheniramine because it is not as saf e or ef f ective as
other medications that can be used to treat the same condition.
nausea
vomiting
loss of appetite
constipation
headache
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call
your doctor immediately:
vision problems
difficulty urinating
If you experience a serious side ef f ect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online
(http://www.f da.gov/Saf ety/MedWatch [http://www.f da.gov/Saf ety/MedWatch] ) or by phone (1- 800- 332-
1088).
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly
pill minders and those f or eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child- resistant and young
children can open them easily. To protect young children f rom poisoning, always lock saf ety caps and
immediately place the medication in a saf e location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and
reach. http://www.upandaway.org [http://www.upandaway.org]
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people
cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best
way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take- back program. Talk to your pharmacist or
contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take- back programs in your community. See
the FDA's Saf e Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p [http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p] ) f or more
inf ormation if you do not have access to a take- back program.
In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1- 800- 222- 1222. Inf ormation is also available online
at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help [https://www.poisonhelp.org/help] . If the victim has collapsed, had a
seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
It is important f or you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over- the-
counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary
supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a
hospital. It is also important inf ormation to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Brand names
Aller- Chlor ®
Chlo- Amine ®
Polaramine ® Repetabs ®
Polaramine ® Syrup
Teldrin ® Allergy
Deconamine ® SR (containing
Chlorpheniramine Maleate and Pseudoephedrine
Hydrochloride)
®
EX- Histine ® Syrup (containing
Chlorpheniramine Maleate, Methscopolamine
Nitrate, and Phenylephrine Hydrochloride)
® ®
Sinarest ® Extra Strength Caplets ®
(containing Chlorpheniramine Maleate,
Acetaminophen, and Pseudoephedrine
Hydrochloride)