Correct dosing with any medication should ideally offer the most relief from a drug with a minimum of side effects. Fexofenadine, an antihistamine used for its ability to relieve allergy symptoms like rhinitis, or a stuffy nose, and hives may be taken in different doses depending on which condition it is being used to treat. Other factors that can apply to an individual's proper fexofenadine dose include age and other medical conditions, particularly those that affect the renal system, or kidneys.
Adults taking this antihistamine for treating hives or rhinitis related to allergies generally use a fexofenadine dose of 60 milligrams (mg), taken two times a day. Alternately, 180 mg can be taken just one time a day. Regardless of dosing schedule, this drug should always be taken with a full glass of water to ensure proper absorption into the body.
Children usually take a fexofenadine dose that is somewhat smaller than those taken by adults. Dosing for hives and rhinitis is age-dependent, with youths over 12 taking a full adult dose of 60 mg twice daily or a single daily dose of 180 mg. For children between six and 11, twice-daily doses of 30 mg can be taken, if oral tablets are used.
Younger children may prefer a liquid form of this drug, called a suspension, to make dosing easier. Two to 11-year-olds may take two doses of 30 mg per day when using the liquid suspension. A fexofenadine dose appropriate for children six months old to one year old is usually 15 mg, two times per day.
Many medications, including fexofenadine, are removed from the body by the kidneys. Medical conditions like damage or disease that affect renal function can slow the rate of removal. In turn, these drugs can remain in the body and exert their effects for longer periods of time. Such cases may require a lower dose of certain medications to prevent a build-up in the blood stream, which can have unintended consequences like stronger side effects.
Fexofenadine dose levels are usually decreased in people with kidney damage. Individuals over 12 years old usually have a recommended dose of 60 mg, taken only one time each day. Children over two, but under 11, have a suggested dosage of 30 mg per day. Generally, a doctor will be responsible for making dosage adjustments for people with kidney damage, since they have access to the full range of medical information required to accurately calculate an appropriate dose.
